Celtic fans will have an extra spring in their step today after watching their side progress to the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup against Hibernian yesterday.
Knockout football always comes with an added layer of jeopardy to be mindful of, no matter the circumstances. Nevertheless, the Bhoys continued their strong start to the campaign with a dominant performance in Glasgow’s east end.
Daizen Maeda catalysed the latest instalment of winning Celtic football, sliding home inside four minutes to send the home crowd into scenes of jubilation following Reo Hatate’s low cross.
The Japan international would only have to wait 11 minutes for his second. Nicolas Kuhn was the provider this time, lofting a well-timed through ball for him to latch onto and stab past visiting goalkeeper Josef Bursik.
Deputising through the middle for injured compatriot Kyogo Furuhashi with minimal fuss, Maeda has illustrated he is capable of taking the central striking mantle when required and has now taken to social media to show his appreciation for his teammates and supporters.
Daizen Maeda reacts after scoring cup double
Taking to social media platform X, Maeda shared a selection of pictures from the affair with a simple caption that read, ‘Great team and great supporters!’ accompanied by a green love heart emoji and a white one.
Maeda certainly did his utmost to ensure his colleagues and the wider fanbase enjoyed their afternoon yesterday. He worked tirelessly for the team and played his part in build-up phases despite usually being deployed on the left flank.
Adaptability is part of what makes the 26-year-old such a widely appreciated player at Celtic. Everything he does is for the benefit of the side, no matter where he is asked to play.
Brendan Rodgers has found another potential solution to any future striking dilemma. Of course, you want squad depth across the front four positions, but if Maeda is needed, he has shown he can fill the void and flourish.
Intriguingly, the Irishman now has a little bit of a selection headache looking ahead to Sunday’s clash against St Mirren. It would be hard to drop Maeda after his brace, though we could see the Japan international revert to his familiar berth out wide if chosen to start.
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