Celtic had their Great Dane to thank for an uncomfortable 2-0 victory at Rugby Park on Sunday afternoon…
Killie, the ‘we got loads of shots’ Champions
The Hoops faced the most shots at Rugby Park [19] in a league match they have been involved in since the Scottish Premiership was rebranded over a decade ago.
Big saves from Celtic’s experienced goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in the second half firstly from Brad Lyons, and then Matty Kennedy were massive moments that kept Brendan Rodgers’ side ahead.
From 11 league games this season, the Danish stopper has now kept nine clean sheets, in what is a staggering record. Having conceded only three goals so far during this campaign, Celtic’s transfer business of replacing the experienced Joe Hart with Schmeichel has proven to be a terrific piece of recruitment by Brendan Rodgers.
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A save ratio of 89% and a passing accuracy of 96% following the first round of games for Celtic’s no.1 shows that Brendan Rodgers has the real deal in net. Schmeichel has not had much to do domestically, but he was made to work for his money yesterday, and produced key saves at important moments in the match.
Schmeichel’s cool, calm and composed Cruyff turn
Another impressive act from Schmeichel was his cool, calm and composed Cruyff turn on Killie forward Innes Cameron in the second half. Kasper’s composure with the ball at his feet has been refreshing. It puts trust in the defence who know that the man mountain behind them is astute enough to deal with tough situations. Harshly on Joe Hart, playing out from the back always seemed to be an issue.
💪 “Big man came up with some great saves today”
🧤 “This was a big measuring stick for how far we’ve come”Callum McGregor and Kasper Schmeichel on Celtic’s 2-0 win at Kilmarnock ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/19qakOBGMC
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) November 10, 2024
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Not only has the Great Dane become a consistent performer on the pitch, but clearly, Schmeichel has replaced the Joe Hart leadership off it. Schmeichel’s authority and organisation of his back four has been an integral part of the imperious defensive record Celtic have built up this season.
Kasper away on International duties with Denmark
Leaving Glasgow for his home country, Kasper will now gear up for two crucial UEFA Nations League matches for Denmark who face Spain and Serbia over the next 10 days. Brian Rimer’s Danes will be attempting to leapfrog European Championship winners Spain in their group to seal a place in the semi-final of the Nations League.
Conor Spence
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