Liel Abada included in SPFL Team of the Week

Liel Abada has been included in the SPFL Team of the Week. The 20-year-old scored twice as a depleted Celtic side took maximum points over St Johnstone in Perth on Boxing Day. Tom Rogic recorded two assists in the win with Nir Bitton scoring the third goal.

Abada netted his first after being denied by an excellent initial save by Elliot Parish in the Saints net. James McCarthy made an excellent tackle to put pressure onto the Saints, allowing Josip Juranovic to look up and fizz a ball across the face of goal for Abada to latch onto.

Abada connected well and it seemed destined to be a goal; however, Parish’s arm managed to bat the ball away. The ricochet went up and Lars Dendoncker challenged the Israeli winger for the header, which the 20-year-old managed to win before forcing the ball into the net.

He had his second shortly afterwards with Tom Rogic playing a neat pass to set him up. The Australian playmaker received a zipped pass from Nir Bitton at the edge of the Saints box, steadied himself before playing Abada in, who found the angle of his shot, leaving Elliot Parish with no chance.

The win at McDiarmid Park was probably Abada’s best in the Hoops as he was given the freedom of playing in an attacking pairing. Kyogo started but he was replaced by Joey Dawson after the Japanese star pulled up injured.

Ange Postecoglou will use the winter break to reinforce his troops ahead of a charge towards the League title in the second half of the season, having already secured the Premier Sports Cup this month.