Kasper Schmeichel has been coolness personified for Celtic since he arrived in the summer.
The Danish goalkeeper has settled in nicely and made some vital saves while he’s been at it in domestic action as well as in the Champions League.
Following the narrow 2-1 victory over Kilmarnock in yesterday evening’s Scottish Cup tie, Schmeichel showed a different side to his personality as he approached referee Nick Walsh at full-time.
Perhaps to discuss Bobby Wales’ equaliser during the fixture which had come through to the young striker via the arm of Killie’s Robbie Deas in the build-up.
Brendan Rodgers ushered Celtic’s Schmeichel down the tunnel as Kyogo almost ended ball boy
The goalie didn’t seem to be remonstrating with the whistler too aggressively, but as Brendan Rodgers arrived on the scene to shake Walsh and his officials’ hands, the Irishman did usher his stopper away to call an end to the complaining.
Another moment came on 19 minutes when Kyogo was played through wonderfully by Reo Hatate who was later “given an out” by Michael Stewart for a sitter inside six yards.
The striker looked for all the world to be ready to make the net bulge with a curled finish but, instead, it fell inches wide of the far post, much to the frustration of the player.
Luckily, behind the goal, a Hoops ball boy was paying close enough attention to avoid a sore one as he slapped the ball away from what could have been an awkward moment for him.
A shrug of the shoulders from captain Cal
Wales’ goal for Killie might have been controversial and had Schmeichel reeling but one player in green and white who didn’t seem too perturbed was captain and goal scorer Callum McGregor.
In more Premier Sports footage, Walsh put his whistle to his lips and pointed to the halfway line to signal the tap-in would count.
And rather than snap and have a go at the whistler, McGregor was captured on camera completely accepting of the set-back with a shrug of the shoulders.
It was a skipper’s moment in that he seemed more concerned with getting the game going again with the knowledge in his mind that it was still there to be won.
Derek McInnes’ complaints unfounded
A salty McInnes was furious that his side were not awarded a free-kick in the lead-up to Celtic’s eventual winner for an Auston Trusty foul on Marley Watkins.
One of his moans at full-time was that Celts had taken a free-kick “20 yards from where the offence was and were up the other end before (Killie) had a chance to settle.”
Watching the highlight packages back, nothing could have been further from the truth in terms of Del’s tears.
In fact, Cameron Carter-Vickers takes the free-kick even closer to Celtic’s goal than it should have been as McGregor started off the move before Nicolas Kuhn found Daizen Maeda for the winner.
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