Celtic’s control was not just seen in the goals, it was exposed in the reactions. One moment showed Falkirk folding instantly and the other showed exactly where the players’ connection with fans still sits.
Celtic beat Falkirk as Martin O’Neill’s side kicked off the first game of the top six split. However, the key moments in the game showed when the Bairns crumbled and how the Hoops players and fans are united.
Daizen Maeda’s first goal set the tone, but it was Kieran Tierney’s goal celebration that applied the polish to a big win that put pressure on Hearts and Rangers prior to today’s big games, and Celtic’s Unique Angle showed it all.
Was that Daizen Maeda’s best performance of the season?
Maeda pressure forced Falkirk player to collapse at Celtic goal
When Maeda mugged Keelan Adams for his first goal, the Falkirk defender drops with his head in his hands the second the ball hits the net. The reaction is instant and leaves no doubt how painful that error was.
The unseen reaction and body language show how much this mistake hurt the player and how Maeda punished him the second the ball hits the net.
But the reactions didn’t stop there, especially for Maeda as he was directly involved in creating Kieran Tierney’s goal with a carbon copy interception that broke Falkirk down.
Celtic connection clear as Tierney goes straight to the Green Brigade
Tierney’s goal put the Hoops into a healthy 2-0 lead, and the Celtic defender did not hesitate to celebrate with the Green Brigade.
He runs straight to the Celtic Ultras and grabs the club crest on his shirt. There is no secondary thought or anything else on Tierney’s mind. The celebration was direct and deliberate.
This was a pointed message and act between player and the supporters, and that single action shows exactly how important the North Curve are to Celtic’s title defence. It was not staged and it does not need explaining.
Celtic’s dominance shows itself in different ways. One moment breaks the opposition, the other reinforces what the club still is.
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