Deila Buzzing After Celtic Win

Photo by Jeff Holmes Celtic manager Ronny Deila challenged his players to stay at the top of the Scottish Premiership after Virgil van Dijk's "orgasmic" last-minute winner at Aberdeen. The Norwegian celebrated wholeheartedly in front of the Celtic fans at Pittodrie after van Dijk netted an unlikely winner from close range following a corner and he was just as colourful in describing his joy after an unlikely victory. Hoops skipper Scott Brown had been sent off eight minutes earlier and the hosts had enjoyed the better of the second half before then but the dangerous Niall McGinn was just out of range with his shooting. The victory sent Celtic top for the first time this season and Deila wants them to stay there until the campaign ends. "That's the goal," he said. "It's going to be tough all season. But we have fought our way back to the top and we just have to keep on winning games. "Performances have been better and better. Team spirit and togetherness is better. And that's what we need to win games, especially when conditions are not the best." Celtic fell behind when Adam Rooney capitalised on a fumble from Lukasz Zaluska but Stefan Johansen exploited some hesitancy in the home defence to level before the break and Deila's men held on after Brown received a second yellow card for a foul on McGinn, before snatching the points. "We knew it was going to be a hard game because Aberdeen are a good team and it's a hard place to come and we didn't get back from Romania until Friday," Deila said. "The pitch wasn't perfect either but we fought all the way and got the goal in the end, which was orgasmic, if I can say that. Even better." Johansen believes Celtic will be hard to shift from the top. "We had a tough start, the new gaffer came in and he wanted to put some details in our play," the Norway midfielder said. "It takes time. I think we are starting to get where he wants now. "I think it's going to be tough for the rest of the teams in the league to take the trophy. The team is getting better and better and stronger." Aberdeen felt aggrieved at decisions before both goals - claiming McGinn was fouled by Charlie Mulgrew before the first and that they should have had a goal kick instead of conceding the corner that ultimately led to the winner. Their misery was compounded by Willo Flood tearing a hamstring and Shay Logan being red-carded after the game for foul and abusive language towards a match official. Dons midfielder Barry Robson said: "We controlled the game for large spells and we didn't look under too much pressure in the second half, against a very good side, and there is massive frustration in that dressing room. "We need to do better to see the game out. Credit to Celtic for keeping going but we had chances to put the game to bed. We need to learn from that."