By Kenny MacDonald
GLASGOW (Reuters) - Celtic secured their fifth Scottish league title in seven years in sensational style on Sunday typifying a season of last-minute drama.
Japanese midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura curled in a magnificent free kick two minutes into stoppage time at Kilmarnock to earn a 2-1 win and clinch the Premier League
(SPL).
Nakamura was at the heart of the champions' campaign throughout.
The Glasgow club came under fire from media and supporters for embarking on a money-making trip to Japan just a week into the season to face Nakamura's old side Yokohama Marinos. They lost the friendly 3-0.
Celtic returned to Scottish action and lost 2-1 to Hearts on August 6 but then launched a 28-game unbeaten league run that set up their 41st title.
They also secured a last-16 place in the Champions League largely due to Nakamura's influence in their tough Group F which included Manchester United, Benfica and FC Copenhagen.
The Japanese international put his side ahead at Old Trafford on September 13 in their opening match which ended in a thrilling 3-2 defeat by United.
However, Nakamura was to exact his revenge in perfect style on a cold November night at Celtic Park with a terrific trademark free kick into the top right corner for a 1-0 win that earned them qualification into the first knockout round.
On league duty, Celtic were surging clear of their rivals Rangers and Hearts who endured chaotic campaigns.
Rangers suffered some horror results under new manager Frenchman Paul Le Guen and the sharp contrast in fortunes was probably best illustrated on October 14.
NAKAMURA HAT-TRICK
Celtic crushed Dundee United 4-1 at Tannadice with Nakamura grabbing his first hat-trick for the club while Rangers crashed to their first ever home defeat by Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1-0. The SPL was only 10 games in, but already Celtic enjoyed a 10-point lead over their bitter rivals, who slumped to third.
Their only blip was to lose their grip on the League Cup, won the previous season, in a penalty shootout with Falkirk in November.
However, Rangers' season of woe continued as they nosedived from the competition losing 2-0 to second division St Johnstone - their first home cup defeat to lower league opposition.
Despite losing influential midfielders Shaun Maloney and Bulgarian international Stilian Petrov to former manager Martin O'Neill at Aston Villa, Celtic marched on.
By New Year, Celtic savoured a mammoth lead of 17 points over second-placed Rangers after 23 games. Le Guen quit on January 2 as the Ibrox crisis deepened and they called on former boss Walter Smith, who gave up the Scotland job to return.
Although Smith ended Celtic's unbeaten league run with a 1-0 victory on March 11, manager Gordon Strachan continued to hurtle towards the finishing line.
Celtic also secured a Scottish FA Cup final berth while bowing out of the Champions League after extra time against AC Milan.
Despite a late hiccup in form, Celtic racked up a series of last-minute results, though none as dramatic as the 2-1 victory at Kilmarnock with Nakamura's stoppage time free kick to seal the title.
