Daizen Maeda – Celtic’s destroyer keeping our title dream alive…
What a day, what a Beautiful, Beautiful Sunday as we blew away our second biggest rivals, confining them to third place, and keeping our own title chances very much alive. If Carlsberg did Sundays eh?
It was 3-1 in the end, but could have been a slightly bigger margin in a game that was controlled by the Champions, particularly in the second half. It was our first derby win in the league in nearly two years, and an hugely important one at that.
Despite going behind early on, and looking a little spooked for a spell, we got our act together and got ourselves back into the game courtesy of a Yang strike, before a brace by deadly Daizen Maeda early in the second period earned us all three points and moved us to within a point of Hearts.
Daizen’s first goal was a typical poachers effort after a brilliant run and cross by Kieran Tierney. Our Japanese talisman second goal will live long in the memory, as he produced a true moment of genius which Martin O’Neill was happy to compare to Henrik Larsson’s chip in the 6-2 game back in August 2000. High praise indeed for Daizen from his manager.
The Celtic striker produced a stunning overhead kick that looped over the hapless Jack Butland and into the net to seal all three points, and keep our title chances well and truly alive.
Celtic Park was a cauldron of noise as the Hoops took control, got a two goal lead then saw the game out, with a swagger and a professional manner that’s been missing for quite some time in this turbulent campaign.
All the players played their part, the captain Callum McGregor was magnificent but none shone more brightly than Daizen Maeda. The Japanese international has been the catalyst for our title bid since the split, scoring five goals in the three post split fixtures thus far.
Like most of his teammates, Daizen has been out of sorts for much of the campaign, but he’s exploded spectacularly when it really matters, and is hugely responsible for us still being in the hunt for league glory next Saturday.
Let’s hope he keeps up that form in the remaining two games. beat Motherwell on Wednesday night, then the support will roar the team on the take care of Hearts at Celtic Park early on Saturday afternoon before lifting the trophy. What a day that promises to be!
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1 Comment
In an SPFL campaign this season, we have been fairly starved of magical moments within it. But that finish from Maeda for the 3rd goal, will be in the Glasgow Derby memory’s bank for some time for ourselves.
Today also produced one of the very few occasions, where we actually looked like a team worthy of being crowned champions
Of course there’s still plenty of work required from ourselves still, but getting our bigger players back playing to there capabilities, has been a long time in waiting this season.
The margin of victory, could easily have been greater, if we were more clinical, but the quality of the 3 goals scored were outstanding all the same imo?
Thought Calmac and Engels possibly played there best games of the season imo, and maybe not alone within our team performance today either.
It may have been long overdue, where we can talk far more about the good and great points within our match, that totally outnumber the poor points within our performance. Especially with it finally getting delivered within such an important Glasgow Derby.