Match Pictures | Matches: 2024 – 2025
Trivia
- KO: 19:45; Wednesday, Celtic TV PPV; league match 25
- Celtic now par on games with the rest of the league, still top of the league with 66pts & +61GD; 13pts ahead 29 GD ahead of Sevco.
- McGregors 501st game for Celtic (500th was away v Motherwell) so today celebrated his mileston and was gifted a framed top with 500 on the back.
- Rearranged league game from 25th Jan which was postponed due to damage to the stadium from the severe windy weather the day before.
- Debut for Schlupp; home debut for returning Jota.
- Double for Engels and Maeda, another man of the match performance by Maeda. Idah scores again.
- Celtic transfer window ‘not ideal’ concedes Rodgers
- Only transfer on last day was Schlupp on loan. Failed to get any of the other deals done.
- Not confirmed yet but Daniel Cummings agreed on a deal with West Ham but that nothing has been signed yet.
- Celtic were among the clubs turned down by St Patrick’s Athletic striker Mason Melia, with the 17-year-old joining Tottenham Hotspur on a five-year deal.
- Transfer window closed Monday 3rd Feb, final transfers:
- In: Jota returns to Celtic from Rennes (est £8m); Jeffrey Schlupp on loan to June 2025
- Out: Stephen Welsh to KV Mechelen (Belgium) on loan till end of season. Holm on loan to LA FC in the MLS for 2024. Kyogo to Rennes est £10m. Valle loan to Celtic ended early, he moves to Como on loan.
- Bernabei sold to SC Internacional (Brazil) est £4.6m (rising to £5m with addons). Josh Dede moves to Middlesborough. Olympiacos have signed Luis Palma on loan until the end of the season with an option to buy for £3.3m. St Mirren failed to sign on loan Johnny Kenny on last day. Celtic were in for Tammer Bany, who joined West Brom from Randers, and West Ham’s Danny Ings before the transfer window closed. lovan Bratislava forward David Strelec, 23, was also in the frame for Celtic. Celtic reportedly made move for Lennon Miller but Motherwell said he’s NOT for sale.
- Rap star Snoop Dogg pops up again and says coming to Scotland to hopefully see Oasis this summer and hopes to take a couple of Celtic players along with him! “It would be cool if a couple of the Celtic players could come with me – I’ll have to see what Noel can do.”
- Swedish police say “around 10” people killed in a shooting on a school campus in the central city of Orebro. RIP
Summary
BBC: Thumping win moves Celtic 13 points clear at top as Dundee lose 6-0 for second game in a row Engels slots penalty away after VAR spots Sylla pull on Trusty, then Idah slams in second goal on rebound before break Jota crosses for Maeda to head in third before Japan striker chips in sumptuously four minutes later Engels’ deflected shot loops over Carson for Celtic’s fifth goal and substitute Kuhn curls in stunning sixth
“When we play like that we can produce great moments”
Rodgers
“The thing that frightens me, he [Daizen Maeda] never looks tired. He is a defender’s nightmare. I do not know where he gets the energy from.”
Lee Miller Former Dundee Utd & Hearts striker on BBC Scotland
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Scotland: “Definitely one of the best [performances] of our season.
“From minute one to the 93rd minute we had a real hunger in our game and real quality in our game.
“Tony’s [Docherty] team over the course of the season have, in the main, defended well and been very strong and we saw that up there when we played against them.
“But we were never going to make the same mistake as what we did in the 3-3 game.
“I think you saw the difference tonight with the counter-pressing and the numbers around the ball and winning the duels, and that gives us the possibilities to play and when we play like that then we can produce great moments.”
Celtic TV on Maeda: “He’s on his way to being an icon… I just get tired watching him!”
joebloggscity: What is Jota going to be like once the other players are on the same wavelength as him? He was too clever for his fellow players with some passes and back passes! Some great play but need to get all used to each other.
Post match interview: Love how maeda grabs the mic as if he has something to say and just says “I’m happy” what a bhoy
Lauren @hunteradactyl.bsky.social The intensity in that second half was really impressive. Engels had another cracker of a game and there are no words in any language that could properly describe Daizen
Inside The SPFL @AgentScotland ·
25 games played
21 games won
13 points clear
73 goals scored
12 goals conceded
18 clean sheets
Celtic’s form in the Scottish Premiership has been ridiculously consistent at both ends of the park this season.
FT: Celtic 6-0 Dundee A night of supreme finishing from Celtic, Maeda’s the pick of the bunch just because of the link up play before hand, Dundee have been well and truly dragged into a relegation dog fight with these past two results.
Teams
Celtic
Manager: Brendan Rodgers
Formation: 4 – 3 – 3
01 K. Schmeichel
03 G. Taylor, subbed for J. Schlupp at 72mins
06 A. Trusty 29′, Yellow Card at 29mins
20 C. Carter-Vickers
02 A. Johnston
41 R. Hatate, subbed for L. McCowan at 78mins
42 C. McGregor (c), Captain, subbed for Paulo Bernardo at 62mins
27 A. Engels
07 Jota, subbed for N. Kühn at 62mins
09 A. Idah, subbed for J. Kenny at 72mins
38 D. Maeda
Subs:
28 Paulo Bernardo
24 J. Kenny
10 N. Kühn
14 L. McCowan
56 A. Ralston
05 L. Scales
15 J. Schlupp
12 V. Sinisalo
13 Yang Hyun-Jun
Goals:
A. Engels (18′ pen, 71′)
A. Idah (45’+1)
D. Maeda (55′, 59′)
N. Kühn (81′)
Assists:
Jota (55′), A. Engels (59′), G. Taylor (71′), A. Johnston (81′)
Dundee
Manager: Tony Docherty
Formation: 3 – 4 – 2 – 1
31 T. Carson (c), Captain
50 A. Donnelly
29 A. Portales
04 R. Astley
02 E. Ingram, subbed for J. McGhee at 63mins
14 C. Garza 51′, Yellow Card at 51mins, subbed for Z. Larkeche at 63mins
28 M. Sylla 18′, Yellow Card at 18mins
08 J. Mulligan 50′, Yellow Card at 50mins
19 F. Robertson
11 O. Adewumi, subbed for S. Tiffoney at 69mins
15 S. Murray 45’+2, Yellow Card at 45mins plus 2, subbed for S. Palmer-Houlden at 69mins
Subs:
12 I. Samuels
21 Z. Larkeche
27 V. López
01 J. McCracken
06 J. McGhee
23 S. Palmer-Houlden
03 C. Robertson
05 J. Shaughnessy
07 S. Tiffoney
Referee Colin Steven
Video Assistant Referee Alan Muir
Assistant Referee 1 Jonathan Bell
Assistant Referee 2 Alastair Mather
Fourth Official Dan McFarlane
Assistant VAR Official Graeme Leslie
Att:
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
Stats
Overall possession
Celtic 80.2% Dundee 19.8%
Shots
Celtic 18 Dundee 5
Shots on target
Celtic 8 Dundee 1
Total touches inside the box
Celtic 37 Dundee 13
Goalkeeper saves
Celtic 1 Dundee 2
Fouls
Celtic 9 Dundee 6
Corners
Celtic 6 Dundee 3
Shots
Celtic 18 Dundee 5
Shots on target
Celtic 8 Dundee 1
Shots off target
Celtic 8 Dundee 2
Blocked shots
Celtic 2 Dundee 2
Attempts out of box
Celtic 4 Dundee 0
Total offside
Celtic 2 Dundee 0
Total tackles
Celtic 19 Dundee 10
Won tackles
Celtic 12 Dundee 7
Fouls
Celtic 9 Dundee 6
Total yellow cards
Celtic 1 Dundee 4
Total clearances
Celtic 6 Dundee 30
Headed clearances
Celtic 4 Dundee 12
Duels won
Celtic 53 Dundee 37
Total passes
Celtic 767 Dundee 188
Accurate passes
Celtic 689 Dundee 110
Backward passes
Celtic 123 Dundee 31
Forward passes
Celtic 219 Dundee 99
Total long balls
Celtic 44 Dundee 44
Successful final third passes
Celtic 187 Dundee 17
Total crosses
Celtic 25 Dundee 8
Touches
Celtic 948 Dundee 350
Touches in the box
Celtic 37 Dundee 13
Dispossessed
Celtic 5 Dundee 11
Goalkeeper saves
Celtic 1 Dundee 2
Diving saves
Celtic 0 Dundee 2
Saved shots from inside the box
Celtic 1 Dundee 2
Keeper throws
Celtic 6 Dundee 1
Goal kicks
Celtic 5 Dundee 11
Punches
Celtic 0 Dundee 1
Pre Match Facts
Dundee remain winless in 45 meetings with Celtic in all competitions (D7 L38), although the two sides’ 3-3 draw last month was the first time the Dee scored 3+ goals against the Hoops in a match since October 1988 (3-2 win).
Celtic have won 20 of their last 22 home games against Dundee in all competitions (D2) since a 0-2 defeat in May 2001. The Hoops have won their last six home games in a row over the Dee by an aggregate score line of 24-3.
Celtic have won each of their last seven home league games by an aggregate score of 23-0. The Hoops last won more in a row without conceding at Celtic Park in March 2014 (9).
Dundee have won both of their last two away league outings, as many as their previous 17 beforehand (W2 D5 L10).
After scoring in the 3-3 draw between these two sides last month, having also scored two league goals for Dundee earlier this season, Celtic’s Luke McCowan is the first player to score both for and against the same side in a Scottish Premiership season since Tony Watt with both Dundee United and Motherwell in 2021-22. He’s the first to do so for and against Dundee in the competition since Simon Murray in 2017-18.
Articles
Kyogo who? Hooped Celtic behemoth runs riot as fan chant reminds Rangers of who is boss
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/kyogo-who-hooped-celtic-behemoth-runs-riot-as-fan-chant-reminds-rangers-of-who-is-boss-4977618
Mark Atkinson
By Mark Atkinson
Sports Editor
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Published 5th Feb 2025, 22:04 GMT
6-0 win over Dundee continues title charge
This crushing 6-0 win for Celtic over Dundee carries extra significance because with 13 games left to play in the Premiership, the champions are 13 points clear of Rangers at the summit and in complete control of the title race.
This was Celtic’s game in hand over the closest challengers and boy did they make it count against a Dundee team that three weeks ago almost defeated them at Dens Park. There was absolutely no hint of that 3-3 repeat draw in the east end of Glasgow.
Rangers managed to reel Celtic in last season before Brendan Rodgers rallied his troops to pull away once more. The truth this time around is that even without sold striker Kyogo Furuhashi, Celtic will need to let their levels drop significantly if they are to relinquish their grip on the title. “Here we go, ten in a row,” chanted the Green Bridge as Celtic gallivanted towards this victory. This was a statement from Rodgers’ side.
Celtic’s Arne Engels (C) celebrates scoring to make it 5-0 over Dundee with teammates Auston Trusty (L) and Nicolas Kuhn. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Celtic’s Arne Engels (C) celebrates scoring to make it 5-0 over Dundee with teammates Auston Trusty (L) and Nicolas Kuhn. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group
Dundee wore the gait of a team that still looked haunted by last weekend’s 6-0 defeat by Hearts. A year ago in February they came down to Celtic Park on a Wednesday and were 6-0 down at the interval before going on to lose 7-1. A youthful XI, notably without Rangers-bound Lyall Cameron in their midfield due to an Achilles injury, were once again vaporised by this hooped behemoth. No joy of six right now for manager Tony Docherty.
Sitting tenth in the table and only six points clear of bottom spot, attention quickly turns to Saturday’s Scottish Cup match against Airdrieonians followed by a league clash with Aberdeen, both back at Dens Park. This is a team that quickly needs to get back on the horse. Two clean sheets all season against top-flight foes shows where the issue lies.
Celtic’s now primary striker Adam Idah was not wrapped in cotton wool and started, as did Jota on his reappearance at Celtic Park after returning last week from Rennes. Bar Daizen Maeda, who is suspended, the line-up deployed by Rodgers here is likely to start the Champions League play-off against Bayern Munich in a week’s time. They will miss Maeda, who scored twice here and is in the form of his life.
The game was pedestrian until the 15th minute when Arne Engels whipped in a corner. Both Dundee midfielder Mo Sylla and Celtic defender Auston Trusty fell to the floor in the penalty box. Referee Colin Steven originally gave a free-kick to the visitors but on the advice of VAR Alan Muir, he was invited to review the incident. Following a long confab at the monitor, Steven reversed the decision and pointed to the spot. Engels converted low to his left, goalkeeper Carson helpless despite guessing the right way.
Celtic’s Daizen Maeda scores to make it 4-0 with a chip over Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Celtic’s Daizen Maeda scores to make it 4-0 with a chip over Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group
This was a big moment for Engels given that exactly two weeks earlier, he had missed from 12 yards in a must-win Champions League match against Young Boys. Captain McGregor made a point of handing him the ball after the award, a show of faith from the team’s leader.
Celtic huffed and puffed for a second goal before the interval but took until two minutes of stoppage time before blowing the Dundee door down. In the one move, Carson did well to save from Idah and then Jota but third time lucky for Celtic as Idah lashed the ball home high from close range. It was a dull one for Dundee, who felt there was a foul on Sylla from McGregor in the build-up, and sparked their rapid demise.
Fears of another pasting for the boys in dark blue became a stark reality on 55 minutes when Jota’s sumptuous cross from the left was headed home by Maeda. The Japanese then netted his 18th strike of the season with a beautiful clip over Carson from a fine Engels pass three minutes later and a now dishevelled Dundee were firmly in the red zone with more than half-an-hour to play.
A purring Celtic showed some clemency, removing McGregor and Jota from the scene. That wand-like right-foot of Engels was still present, though, and he whipped the ball in off the bar from range on 72 minutes to trump Maeda’s earlier effort.
Idah was then replaced by Johnny Kenny – Celtic’s only other bona-fide No 9 – and deadline-day signing Jeffrey Schlupp made his debut at left-back for Greg Taylor. But it was another sub, Nicolas Kuhn, who got in on the act with a curled effort past a helpless Carson on 81 minutes.
For the third time this season, Celtic battered a Scottish opponent 6-0. Who says this team needs more firepower ..
Purring Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers hails star’s arrogance, rates best goal in rout and assesses Rangers title race
Mark Atkinson
By Mark Atkinson
Sports Editor
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/purring-celtic-boss-brendan-rodgers-hails-stars-arrogance-rates-best-goal-in-rout-and-assesses-rangers-title-race-4977627
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Published 5th Feb 2025, 22:41 GMT
Celtic manager reacts to 6-0 win over Dundee
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hailed his team’s hunger and relentlessness as they trounced Dundee 6-0 to move 13 points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premiership with 13 games to play.
Arne Engels and Daizen Maeda bagged doubles, while Adam Idah and Nicolas Kuhn also got on the scoresheet as Celtic put six past a Scottish team for the third time this season. Rodgers admitted that the result and current situation in the league leaves his team well placed in their bid to retain their crown.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers with Nicolas Kuhn after the 6-0 win over Dundee. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers with Nicolas Kuhn after the 6-0 win over Dundee. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group
“I thought from minute one to the 93rd minute we were outstanding in the game,” said Rodgers. “The team was hungry. I think that we knew when we played Dundee before [a 3-3 draw last month] that we were okay going forward. We scored three goals but defensively it wasn’t quite good enough. We had seven games in 21 days so we just weren’t concentrating on our defending. But tonight you see we hunted the game in packs and numbers around the ball winning it back and that just to sustain the attacks. Some of our goals was a joy to see.”
Rodgers was asked which of the goals he rated the best, and he responded: “I think Daizen’s [second] was a great goal. Why? Because it starts right in the very corner. We’re under pressure. Dundee are there, they want to press. We stay calm, we connect the game, take it out, get it out the other side. Arne’s pass and then probably no one would see Daizen scoring a goal like that. But what a finish it was.
“So yeah, that was a great goal. As was Nic’s [Kuhn]. And in fairness to Trevor [Carson] in the Dundee goal, you can’t really do anything about all the goals. The goals were of the highest quality.”
Celtic’s Jota and Dundee’s Josh Mulligan in action. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Celtic’s Jota and Dundee’s Josh Mulligan in action. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group
On where Celtic are placed in the title race, Rodgers continued: “We can’t complain because I think that until this moment now, we’ve had an absolutely outstanding season. Thirteen games left, 13 points clear, a big goal difference, which is always worth a point in itself. I’ve always said it’s really narrowing in the focus at this point of the season. Keep your hunger, keep your humility and keep thinking of performance.
“That was the message this evening. It’s about winning and we know that, but it’s about performing and when we perform we can play well and win games. So we’re in a good place but modern day culture is all about the next game. So we’ll get ready now for Raith.”
Rodgers also hailed Jota in his first game at Parkhead since returning, adding: “I’d obviously seen him before from the outside looking in and then I’ve seen him train and work but he’s a big player, so I can’t wait for him to get up to the level in terms of that football fitness. He’s missed a lot of football, hasn’t played a great deal but he’s a class act.
“The way he takes the ball, he has a lovely arrogance with the ball. But like you say, he’s effective. He doesn’t just look a good player, he is a good player. He can beat people and make a pass, make a cross, make a shot and he’s a big talent.”
Related topics:Brendan RodgersCeltic
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Questions raised over key Celtic goals as Dundee claim ‘decisions went against us’
Mark Atkinson
By Mark Atkinson
Sports Editor
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/questions-raised-over-key-celtic-goals-as-dundee-claim-decisions-went-against-us-4977631
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Published 5th Feb 2025, 22:49 GMT
Tony Docherty has say on 6-0 defeat to Celtic
Dundee manager Tony Docherty admitted his team endured a “tough” evening as they went down 6-0 to Celtic at Parkhead – but lamented refereeing decisions in two of the hosts’ goals.
For the second Premiership match in succession, Dundee shipped six goals – they lost to Hearts 6-0 on Saturday – and his team were torn apart by a rampant Celtic side in the second half.
There were, however, complaints about the award of a 15th-minute penalty to Celtic when Mo Sylla was deemed to have fouled Auston Trusty after a VAR review, while Docherty believed Sylla was fouled by Callum McGregor in a passage of play leading up to Celtic’s second goal right on the stroke of half time.
Dundee manager Tony Docherty with Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers at full-time. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
Dundee manager Tony Docherty with Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers at full-time. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group
“It was a tough one in the end,” said Docherty. “I was looking for a reaction against a strong Celtic team and we were good in the first half.
“For the first goal, no Celtic player claimed for the penalty and I think it was soft. The second goal…there was a foul on Mo Sylla and I feel decisions went against us.
“We would have merited going in at 0-0 and then we would have had a chance to regroup. But in the second half, we can’t switch off like we did for the third goal. We then lost poor goals and we addressed that with the group after the game.
“Their pride will be dented and I want that to be the case – but we don’t suddenly become a bad team. We take full responsibility and we have to be more resolute defensively, but we need to get back on the horse now.”
Celts hit Dundee for six with a dazzling display at Paradise
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/february/05/celts-hit-dundee-for-six-with-a-dazzling-display-at-paradise/
First Team
By Matthew Campbell
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05 Feb 2025, 10:12 pm
Scottish Premiership
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Celtic Park, Glasgow
CELTIC…6
(Engels 18 & 71, Idah 46, Maeda 55 & 59, Kühn 81)
DUNDEE…0
In a season of memorable moments so far, the Celts’ performance at Celtic Park tonight will go down as a real high point, as the champions turned on the style and dismantled Dundee with a 6-0 victory which was littered with goal of the season contenders.
From the get-go tonight, the Celts were in full control of the match, with the champions intent on pressing aggressively and showing their quality under the lights.
An early ball in to the box from Reo Hatate looked destined to either find the in-form Daizen Maeda or end up in the back of the net, but the Dundee keeper was alert and punched the ball clear.
With just over 15 minutes gone, the referee was sent to the VAR monitor to assess a foul on Auston Trusty in the penalty area, which was ironic given that the ref had initially awarded the foul against Trusty. However, after a short review, he pointed to the spot and the Hoops had a penalty.
Arne Engels stepped up and, in his typically cool manner, he slotted the spot-kick in to the bottom corner to give the Celts a 1-0 lead.
Jota, fresh from his return to the club and his goal at Fir Park on Sunday, made his first appearance at Celtic Park tonight since rejoining the Bhoys, and his presence on the left wing had the Dundee defence worried, which is understandable given his quality.
The Portuguese winger looked like a man who is back where he belongs as he showed his creativity and skill throughout the first 45 minutes, much to the delight of the Celtic faithful.
Dundee were limited to almost no attacks throughout the first half, thanks in no small part to the relentless work of Alistair Johnston, who was involved in so much of Celtic’s attacking play but was a man on a mission every time Dundee tried to break forward as he charged down opposition players and won the ball back for the Celts.
It looked like the first half would finish 1-0 to the Celts, but in the 47th minute, Greg Taylor sent a great ball forward to Adam Idah, who fired a shot towards goal.
Carson made the save, and the rebounded effort from Jota was also saved. However, the keeper could do nothing about Adam Idah’s follow-up, as the big Irishman smashed the ball in to the roof of the net to double the advantage just before the break.
80%
Possession
20%
18
Shots
5
8
Shots On Target
1
6
Corners
3
9
Fouls
6
1
0
Cards
4
0
The second-half performance from the Celts and the goal-fest that it inspired was a joy to behold. Daizen Maeda made it 3-0 to the champions in the 55th minute as he got on to the end of a ball from Jota.
The Portuguese winger whipped a cross deep towards the back post and Daizen, launching himself at the ball with a diving header, found the back of the net to put the game beyond Dundee.
It was Daizen who had Celtic Park in raptures again less than five minutes later with arguably the goal of the night.
The Celtic defence, inspired by some brilliant work near the corner flag from Jota, worked the ball out from the back with the sort of composure and style that champions are made of.
Callum McGregor then found Arne Engels with a pass, and the Belgian sent a long ball forward to Daizen.
The Japanese forward raced on to the end of it and lifted the ball over Trevor Carson and in to the net from the edge of the box, capping off a move that truly was a work of art from the Hoops.
Then, it was Arne Engels’ turn to stake a claim for goal of the night. In the 71st minute, he picked up the ball on the edge of the box, drifted towards the right and unleashed a shot which battered the cross bar on its way in to the back of the net, giving the Celts a 5-0 lead.
A few minutes later, Brendan Rodgers gave Jeffrey Schlupp his Celtic debut, with the new bhoy replacing Greg Taylor for the closing stages of the match.
The Hoops’ boss had also taken Jota off, replacing him with Nicolas Kühn, with the former receiving a standing ovation as he made his way off the pitch.
However, Nicolas Kühn had the supporters back on their feet again in the 81st minute with a sensational finish of his own, as he bent a shot in to the top corner from the right-hand side of the penalty area, adding gloss to an already sparkling display from the champions.
After tonight’s blistering performance, the Bhoys can look forward to a Scottish Cup tie at home against Raith Rovers on Saturday evening.
Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor (Schlupp 72′), Engels, McGregor (Paulo Bernardo 62′), Hatate (McCowan 78′), Maeda, Idah (Kenny 72′), Jota (Kühn 62′)
Subs: Scales, Kühn, Sinisalo, Hyunjun Yang, McCowan, Schlupp, Kenny, Paulo Bernardo, Ralston
Dundee: Carson, Astley, Portales, Donnelly, Mulligan, Sylla, Garza (Larkeche 63′), Ingram (McGhee 63′), Adewumi (Tiffoney 69′), Robertson, Murray (Palmer-Houlden 69′)
Subs: McCracken, Robertson, Shaughnessy, McGhee, Tiffoney, Samuels, Larkeche, Palmer-Houlden, López
Daizen at the double as he lights up Celtic Park
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/february/05/daizen-at-the-double-as-he-lights-up-paradise-/
First Team
By Matthew Campbell
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05 Feb 2025, 10:51 pm
Daizen Maeda’s sensational season continued at Celtic Park this evening (Wednesday, February 5) as Brendan Rodgers’ men dismantled Dundee under the lights to reestablish a 13-point lead at the top of the table.
Arne Engels and Adam Idah had the Hoops ahead in the first-half before a second-half masterclass from the champions made it an evening to remember for everyone in the green and white.
And Maeda, who worked tirelessly all night as always, got his name on the scoresheet twice in the second half and, deservedly, grabbed the Man of the Match award.
His first goal came from a Jota cross, which Maeda reached with a diving header and his second will undoubtedly go down as one of the goals of the season, with the Celts moving the ball from back to front with real class and Daizen Maeda finishing with an outrageous lob.
And, speaking to Celtic TV after the match, the Japanese forward, who is a man of few words and prefers to do his talking on the pitch, reflected on what was a great night for the Celts.
He said: “I am happy to score the goals and to win tonight. I will do my best in the next game too.”
Joining him for the Celtic TV interview was Jota, who made an emotional return to the Hoops on Sunday as he came off the bench at Fir Park and scored a last-minute goal to seal the win for the Hoops.
And speaking after tonight’s victory, the Portuguese midfielder expressed his joy at being back at Paradise again.
He also admitted that, after Daizen Maeda had passed to him for his goal against Motherwell on Sunday, he was delighted to return the favour at Celtic Park tonight.
“I wanted to do the same for him today!” he said, “and credit to him because he has been outstanding this season.
“It was fantastic tonight. It was a feeling I’ve been looking for for a long time.
“I missed it so much and there was no better way to come back than with a victory and a big amount of goals to celebrate with the fans.
“I think, having been here in the past, I know my team-mates and I know the movements that Daizen and my other team-mates are going to make.
“So it’s just a question of being in the right place at the right moment and delivering.”
Manager: Players were brilliant and it was a great performance
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/february/05/manager–players-were-brilliant-and-it-was-a-great-performance/
First Team
By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor
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05 Feb 2025, 10:34 pm
Brendan Rodgers’ side produced one of their best domestic performances of the season to beat Dundee 6-0 at Celtic Park and go 13 points clear at the top of the Premiership.
And it was a night when the team produced several strong candidates for Goal of the Season.
The Hoops were 2-0 ahead at the break thanks to goals from Arne Engels with a penalty and Adam Idah on the stroke of half-time.
And in the second half they scored four more goals without reply, with Daizen Maeda scoring twice – including a breathtaking lob following a brilliant team move that started at the Celtic corner flag.
Arne Engels scored his second of the night with a 25-yard strike, while Nicolas Kuhn scored his 17th goal of the season with a wonderful effort into the top corner.
Not surprisingly, the Celtic manager was full of praise for his side when he spoke to Celtic TV after the game.
“The performance was right up there from minute one to the 93th minute, and I’ve got to say, the players were absolutely brilliant,” Brendan Rodgers said.
“Obviously, having played Sunday and then going into Wednesday there was not a great deal of recovery, but the attitude and the hunger in the team was impressive. And obviously our goals were absolutely brilliant.
“I thought the quality of our game was very good, but I’ve always said, I don’t lose sleep over who scores.
“We’ve got one winger on 18 goals and one on 17. We’ve got strikers scoring, midfield players scoring, so that’s what’s most important.”
Daizen Maeda scored twice in the second half, playing for much of the game on the right wing, and his overall performance earned him the Man of the Match award.
It also earned him praise from his manager, who said: “Daizen’s goal, we were under pressure in the bottom corner but we stayed calm, made out passed and connected the game and took the ball out the other side, out of pressure. A
“rne’s pass was brilliant but Daizen’s finish was sublime. It was a fantastic finish, but even his other goal before that – his run at the back post and a great ball from Jota.
“Nicolas’ goal was outstanding as well, and in fairness to Trevor Carson in their goal, there wasn’t a lot he could do about the goals.
“I’ve always said that Celtic come alive at this part of the season. We’ve done so much great work up to this point but this is the point where, as a Celtic player and a Celtic manager, you can really enjoy these pressure games.
“We’ve got 13 league games to go and we’re in a really good place, but we must keep our foot to the floor.”
BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c5y7gp7lj00t
George O’Neill
BBC Sport Scotland
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers challenged his side to put their foot down in the race for the title after they put six goals past Dundee to move 13 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Arne Engels gave Celtic the lead from the penalty spot after Mohammed Sylla was penalised after a VAR check for a shirt pull on Auston Trusty.
Adam Idah put Brendan Rodgers’ side in control at the interval with a powerful finish and they went through the gears in a dominant second-half display.
Daizen Maeda headed home a pinpoint Jota cross to make it three and just four minutes later, the Japanese forward found the net again with a delightful chip over Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson.
Maeda – playing down the right-hand side to accommodate new signing Jota on the other flank – was a constant threat with his pace in behind, and fully deserved his two goals.
Engels added his second and Celtic’s fifth with a deflected strike from the edge of the box and substitute Nicolas Kuhn curled home a sixth to underline the champions’ second-half dominance.
“It’s been a really good season up to now,” Rodgers said.
“You arrive to this point in a good place and then you’ve got to keep your foot to the floor. We have to stay concentrated, keep showing aggression on the pitch and keep our humility.”
Kasper Schmeichel was never troubled in the Celtic goal as Dundee shipped six goals for the second game running following their heavy defeat by Hearts.
The Dens Park outfit stay 10th in the table, four points behind sixth-placed Motherwell and six in front of bottom side St Johnstone.
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Maeda shines as Celtic show class
When Kyogo completed his move to French side Rennes, it posed questions about what Celtic’s attack might look like for the rest of the season.
Here, they showed they are still a devastating force without the Japan striker, lead by his international colleague Maeda.
His pace in behind the Dundee defence was a constant threat and he looked completely unfussed by switching wings, harrying the opposition throughout the game.
The 27-year-old created three chances – the joint-most of any player – and had more touches in the opposition box than anyone else.
His second goal reflected how high his confidence levels are at present, sending an arcing first-time shot over a helpless Carson and into the top corner.
Idah scored his fourth goal in his last three outings as he continues to step up in Kyogo’s absence, and Jota showed his class too on his first start since returning to Glasgow.
The Portuguese winger’s cross for Maeda’s first was a delightful pick out, and he will only improve as he gets more minutes into his legs.
Kuhn’s introduction off the bench showed the depth of quality Rodgers has at his disposal and he put the icing on the cake with a whipped left-footed strike late on.
On this showing and given the big gap, it seems a certainty that the league title will be staying at Parkhead come May.
Relegation fears grow for leaky Dundee
Dundee finished in the top half of the Scottish Premiership last season – an excellent achievement on their return to the top flight, but they had their issues at the back.
Only Livingston, who finished bottom of the league and were relegated, conceded more goals than Dundee’s 68 and those troubles in defence have continued into this campaign.
Yes, they have been without several defenders through injury, but they are leaking more than two goals per game on average.
No side has let in more than their 53 goals after 25 league games.
They are the defensive numbers of a side battling relegation, and without improvement, or a lot of goals at the other end – only Celtic and Rangers have scored more than Dundee – they will be in the conversation for the play-off spot.
Unrest among the club’s fanbase is understandably growing after two successive 6-0 losses and they have just one win in their last six league games.
Manager Tony Docherty has to find a solution at the back if their form is to turn around and they are to climb the table again.
The positive for the Dundee boss is the table is so tight it only takes a few wins to turn things around quickly, and they are closer to the top half than the bottom.
What they said
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: “Definitely one of the best [performances] of our season. From minute one to the 93rd minute we had a real hunger in our game and real quality in our game.
“I think you saw the difference tonight with the counter-pressing and the numbers around the ball and winning the duels, and that gives us the possibilities to play and when we play like that then we can produce great moments.”
Dundee manager Tony Docherty: “Our organisation in the first half was good enough to merit us coming in at nothing-each.
“The penalty, there’s not one Celtic player claims for it. The two players are wrestling with each other – I think it’s really soft.
“Then before the second goal, Callum McGregor comes across Mo Sylla and anywhere else on the pitch it’s a foul but because the ball goes out of play.
“That said, the goals we concede in the second half are not good enough. We need to learn as a team. That’s two really poor defeats.”