Daizen Maeda has been included in the SPFL Team of the Week. The Japanese forward scored once and was heavily involved in the others as Celtic blew St Johnstone away with a 7-0 win. However, the SPFL have only selected one Celtic player in this team with Matt O’Riley a surprising omission.
Reo Hatate opened the scoring as the relentless press from Celtic forced a mistake at the back with the Japanese Internationalist firing beyond Clark. It was 2-0 when a back pass allowed for Giorgos Giakoumakis to take the ball beyond Clark and slot cooly into the net at an acute angle. It was the only worry coming from the afternoon as the big Greek left the field complaining of a hamstring problem.
Daizen Maeda scored the third before the break. The Japanese attacker took up a central role after Giakoumakis left the field. A Jota cross was directed goal bound with Clark unable to prevent it becoming 3-0. The break offered a rest for the Perth club but they faced a relentless Celtic. Matt O’Riley replaced Tom Rogic but the onslaught continued. Hatate was fouled in the box, Josip Juranovic converted the penalty.
O’Riley made it 5-0 after finding himself on the end of a Turnbull cross. The Danish U21, an arrival from MK Dons in the January window, made it 6-0 with an excellent curling effort. It was maybe pick of the day. 7-0 came thanks to a Liel Abada. Kyogo Furuhashi, came short, turned and clipped an excellent pass into the path of Maeda, he left it for Abada and he finished it off brilliantly.
It could’ve been more. Rogic’s first half chance, Abada had two and Maeda had another chance he could’ve converted. Postecoglou’s team were excellent. The win sets them up for a weekend trip to Hampden to face Rangers.