Celtic

Japan forward Kyogo Furuhashi extended his hot streak with a sixth goal in six games as Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic beat Kilmarnock 2-0 on Saturday.

Bruce Anderson's brace earned Livingston their first league success since early November with a 2-0 victory at bottom of the table Ross County. Robert Snodgrass scored his first goal for Hearts as they recovered from a poor first-half display to secure a 1-1 draw at St Mirren. Furuhashi put the result beyond doubt in the 51st minute following a lethal Celtic counter-attack.

A strike from Jota and an Ash Taylor own goal earned Celtic a 2-0 win against Kilmarnock, as the league leaders extended the gap between them and Rangers.

The shot appeared to take a deflection off Taylor before finding its way into the back of the net. The Japan international cut the ball back and Jota knocked it home from close range after Furuhashi had slid in front of Walker. However, Jota netted from close range in the final minute of the first half before Celtic added a second shortly after the interval. Reo Hatate overlapped Mooy and received a pass before sending in a low cross that was diverted towards goal by Furuhashi. The visitors lined up with five at the back and defended from the front to deny the Celtic midfield time on the ball. The referee, Nick Walsh, played on after a VAR check.

Ange Postecoglou has taken another major step with Celtic towards a successful Scottish title defence on a day when Ryan Strain scored for St Mirren in a ...

It's unusual to be playing the same team two weeks in a row but it will be a different set of circumstances and a different challenge. It will be a special day." The contest brought together St Mirren's Keanu Baccus and Ryan Strain face to face with the Hearts pair of Cammy Devlin and Kye Rowles, with the Edinburgh side's third Socceroo Nathaniel Atkinson on the bench.

Jota netted from close range in the final minute of the half and Ash Taylor turned into his own net six minutes after the interval as he tried to stop Kyogo ...

The chances kept coming for the substitutes. The Japan international cut the ball back and Jota knocked it home from close range after Furuhashi had slid in front of Walker. They managed to do so despite a series of close shaves. Reo Hatate overlapped Mooy and received a pass before sending in a low cross towards Furuhashi. Celtic took 20 minutes to force a corner and another five before getting their first effort at goal, when Jota's deflected effort was easily held by Sam Walker. The visitors also had some moments going forward.

One goal per game will be more than enough, Kyogu, so keep doing it! Kyogo Furuhashi of Celtic scores his team's second goal during the Cinch Scottish ...

The weather was fine for January after all that rain in the morning, and although VAR tried to muscle in (as early as the first minute!) now and again, I thought Mr Walsh had a good game. It was a game that we never really looked like losing, but it has to be said that feelings of anxiety were beginning to sweep Celtic Park in the first half at the fecklessness of our forwards. The tribute to the late Frank McGarvey was impressive, and it was nice to meet our latest Japanese recruit whose grasp of English allows him say “Hail!

“Basketball isn't just a sport, it's an art. One that must be mastered to succeed.” – Stephen Curry. Conor Goldson. ROXIE – 6 ...

SON OF JACKIE – 6/10 – The big guy can’t buy a goal currently, and we await to see if anyone wants to buy him. It was exactly the 45 minutes we required to get the Bhoys back in the title groove and looking towards the finish line with relish. NOTEBOOK – 6.5/10 – Appears to be coming out of flu/cold/covid/ebola recovery and seeking to get back to his flurrying best. A guy remembered as an admirable player and an amiable bloke; colourful, controversial, and lived out the dream of many, many thousands with a grin on his face. STAR LORD – 6/10 – I don’t like to see Star Lord on the ball. MOOEY – 6.5/10 – Cross of the day award. Then you get the likes of Daizen, mentally removed from the grind as he seems to operate in a world of his own, some cartoon Mangaland where physical limitations are secondary to whizzing superheroes and quirky memes. But quality tells, and as the game wore on he wore off the pest and started to get some influence. Depressed by the turgid stoical resistance of the Ayrshire Bears, the collective struggled to find enthusiasm and creativity. WAYNE GRETZKY – 7/10 – Home debut, no change here – repeated his solid efficient outing of last week, threw in some deft touches and displayed the physical attributes he spoke of in his initial presser. He found it in Daizen, sliding a perfect ball in to set up the crucial opener. Sure, Joe’s had problems with the ball at his feet, and therein lies the crux – ‘at his feet’, not teased a few inches out with his reach.

Celtic Historian David Potter each morning on The Celtic Star looks back at key Celtic events and matches on this day starting on 8th January 1910.

SUNDAY 8 JANUARY 2012 – Celtic pay their first ever trip to Balmoor in Peterhead to beat the local side 3-0 in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup. SUNDAY 8 JANUARY 2006 – It is one of Celtic’s more embarrassing days in recent years when they go down 1-2 to First Division Clyde at Broadwood in front of TV cameras and a 7589 crowd. Today however after a struggle, Celtic emerge triumphant 2-0 with the goals scored by Willie Kivlichan, one of the few players to have ever played for both Rangers and Celtic.

The 28-year-old has a deal until 2026 but swirling speculation remains for a player in search of a new contract.

“We have to make sure we always honour those kinds of people because they are part of the Celtic family. “Hopefully in a pretty difficult time we gave them a little bit of joy today. Kevin Bridges, who is also a massive Celtic fan, lost his father in the last couple of days as well. But in the second half we were really good. Frank was a guy who sat in that dressing room, wore that shirt over 200 times, and scored over 100 goals for this club. I don’t think about these things, about who I want to keep or who wants to leave. “Giako worked his socks off today as he has all the time. It’s fair to say he’d love to score a goal because he’s a goalscorer. So he’s having to come on and make a contribution - and he hasn’t flinched from that. His manager wouldn't be drawn on Giakoumakis’ Celtic future but says he’s delighted with the Greek’s application and commitment. Giakoumakis recently changed agent and has already been linked with a £5 million move to Danish outfit FC Midtjylland. Record Sport revealed talks with the Greek striker over a new contract have broken down sparking a potential exit.

Ange Postecoglou insists he's not thinking about a Celtic exit for Giorgos Giakoumakis as he refused to comment on transfer speculation.

"I don’t think about those things," said Postecoglou when asked if he's keen to keep Giakoumakis at Celtic. If they think opportunity is better for them elsewhere then we will go through that process." If anything changes I deal with it.

Meet 2023, same as 2022 for Scottish teams pitching up to Celtic Park. They come, they defend, they suffer defeat, usually with Ange Postecoglou's men ...

Giorgos Giakoumakis had a header and thumping drive that rattled the crossbar, while James Forrest and Matt O’Riley efforts rebound from either post in the space of seconds. Doing the right thing in pressurising Kyogo Furuhashi as he sought to get on the end of a diagonal from deep by Reo Hatate, the big defender’s final touch only succeeded in diverting the ball beyond keeper Sam Walker. We dominated and played in the areas we wanted.”

Japan forward Kyogo Furuhashi extended his hot streak with a sixth goal in six games as Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic beat Kilmarnock 2-0.

“So he is having to come on and make a contribution and he hasn’t flinched from that. I know who I want here and who is free to go or I’d like to move on. So Ange is a lucky man because he’s spent a lot of money. I know the areas I’d like to strengthen. If anything changes, I deal with it.” But also, they spend a lot more money than us.