Celts progress in cup with 2-1 win over Kilmarnock | OneFootball

Scottish Cup

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Celtic Park

CELTIC…2

(McGregor 12, Maeda 70)

KILMARNOCK…1

(Wales 45+1)

The Celts go into Monday night’s Scottish Cup fifth-round draw following a 2-1 over Kilmarnock in this Saturday evening outing for the Hoops.

Goals in each half from Callum McGregor and Daizen Maeda sandwiched a late first-half equaliser from the visitors in a game that had plenty of goalmouth action

The match got off to a flier when Kyogo sent Reo Hatate right through on goal but Robby McCrorie was quickly off his line and the players collided in in the box.

After the lengthy treatment the keeper was replaced by Kieran O'Hara but there was little any keeper could have done about the opener from Celtic in the 12th minute.

Cameron Carter-Vickers played forward to Kyogo who neatly touched the ball on to Callum McGregor. The skipper strode forward before unleashing a wicked low shot from over 20 yards to open the scoring for the Celts.

That opener had come after earlier pressure from the Celts who carved open a great chance after a free-kick at the other end saw Kasper Schmeichel touch the ball on to the crossbar and the Celts broke forward through Nicolas Kuhn and Maeda but the Japanese winger’s shot was saved.

That was only one of a number of attempts on the Kilmarnock goal that belied the 1-0 scoreline that stood for the majority of the half and, indeed looked like it would be the half-time scoreline.

In fact even when, in time added on when Bobby Wales managed to touch the ball in at the back post following a free-kick, a lengthy VAR check looked like it would be going Celtic’s way because of a possible Robbie Deas hand-ball, but, in the end, the goal stood.

The second half was very similar to the first with the Hoops controlling the bulk of the pressure and creating numerous opportunities, but to say the visitors’ goal was living a charmed life would be hard on a Kilmarnock side who worked to keep the score down.

When the goal came, though, it brought the house down as the energetic and workmanlike Nicolas Kuhn picked out the equally busy Maeda who composed himself before knocking home what proved to be the vital winner in the 70th minute.

There were, however, plenty more chances to increase the scoreline and, soon after the second goal, a wonderful Kuhn shot cracked off the crossbar before Reo Hatate brought out acrobatics from O’Hara who somehow managed to get a hand to the Japanese midfielder’s shot at the top corner.

Maeda had the ball in the net again late in the game, but a long VAR check gave offside, and the game played out with the 2-1 scoreline taking the Celts through to the next round.

Fixtures

Celtic Vs. Kilmarnock - Sat, Jan 18th 2025, 17:30 Final score: 2 - 1