Five-star Celts sink Dons to extend league lead | OneFootball

Scottish PremiershipTuesday, February 25, 2025Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC… 5(Maeda 24 & 90+2, Jota 30, McGregor 44, Yang 72)

ABERDEEN… 1(Morris 90)

Celtic extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 16 points with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Aberdeen.

Goals from Jota, Callum McGregor, Yang and a Daizen Maeda double gave Brendan Rodgers’ side a comfortable victory as they returned to winning ways following the weekend defeat to Hibernian.

It was Aberdeen started the match on the front foot and they spurned two early chances to take the lead.

First, a break down the left from Jeppe Okkels saw him slot the ball across towards Oday Dabbagh, but Kasper Schmeichel blocked the set-up.

Then, a pass out from the Celtic keeper was intercepted but Kevin Nisbet’s effort went narrowly wide.

And Jimmy Thelin’s side would come to rue those early misses as Celtic stepped up the pressure and took the lead in the 24th minute through Daizen Maeda with his 24th goal of what has been an exceptional season for the Japanese striker.

It was Arne Engels who threaded a through ball inside the area which was deflected into the path of Maeda, who slotted the ball home from eight yards out.

And on the half-hour mark Celtic doubled their lead with a stunning counter-attack that began when Nicolas Kuhn won the ball on the edge of his own area.

He fired it forward to Jota who surged over the halfway line, dragging two defenders towards him and leaving space for Arne Engels.

He passed it inside to the Belgian midfielder who returned the favour when it looked as though he would take the shot, and Jota bundled the ball into the net to make it 2-0.

And just before the break, Callum McGregor made it 3-0 with a cool right-foot finish just inside the area for his ninth goal of the campaign.

The second half began much like the first, with Aberdeen pushing forward in search of a goal, though the first clear-cut chance fell to Reo Hatate on 55 minutes, but his shot from the edge of the area went high and wide.

Just after the hour mark, the visitors spurned a great chance to reduce the deficit when substitute Shayden Morris raced through on goal, but his shot from inside the area went just wide of the target.

Celtic’s fourth goal of the night came in the 72 minute and was a well-worked goal started and finished by Yang.

He cut in from the right and played a one-two on the edge of the area with Arne Engels and then laid the ball off to Luke McCowan before continuing into the box for the return pass and steering the ball into the net at the near post.

Celtic continued to create more chances, with Adam Idah combining well with Yang before turning inside the area and shooting over.

And then the ever impressive Engels had a left-foot effort from the edge of the area saved, while Maeda tried his luck from inside the box but his left-foot effort was also just wide.

There was also a first-team debut for 19-year-old Jude Bonnar, who came on with 10 minutes remaining as Celtic secured another important three points.

A late goal in the 90th minute from Shayden Morris was only a consolation for the visitors, though they remain the only side to have scored a league goal against the Hoops at Celtic Park this season

And the scoring wasn’t finished, though, as Daizen Maeda knocked the ball home from an Alistair Johnston cross to make it 5-1 to the Hoops.