Match report: Celtic 4-0 Saints

The hosts dominated possession and they took the lead on 30 minutes when Nicolas Kühn collected the ball from Reo Hatate before slotting it beyond Josh Rae.

Celtic thought they had got a second goal 6 minutes into the second half when Kyle Cameron turned Alistair Johnston’s cross into his own net however, the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR check.

Kyogo Furuhashi doubled Celtic’s lead on 59 minutes with a diving header from point blank range after Rae had made a good save to deny Paulo Bernardo.

Furushashi got his second of the afternoon on 64 minutes with a close range finish before substitute Daizen Maeda made it 4-0 on 73 minutes. The Japanese winger got on the end of a defence splitting through ball from Bernardo before slotting a low strike into the net.

Saints are back in action on Thursday afternoon as they welcome Hibs to McDiarmid Park, kick off 3pm.

MATCH REPORT

For their final game of 2024 Saints headed to Glasgow today to take on Celtic at Celtic Park. Saints lost 2-1 to Dundee United on Boxing Day and head coach Simo Valakari made five changes to his starting eleven this afternoon as Andre Raymond, Nicky Clark, Aaron Essel, Matt Smith and Fran Franczak came in to replace David Keltjens, Drey Wright, Graham Carey, Jason Holt and Benji Kimpioka who all dropped to the bench. Celtic defeated Motherwell 4-0 at home on Boxing Day and Brendan Rodgers also made five changes to his starting eleven. Anthony Ralston, Greg Taylor, Callum McGregor, Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda all dropped to the bench and they were replaced by Alistair Johnston, Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kühn, Álex Valle and Reo Hatate.

Nicky Clark got the match underway for Saints however, the hosts started on the front foot and they created the first chance of the match after 4 minutes. Nicolas Kühn played in Alistair Johnston down the right and the Canadian tried to pick out Reo Hatate in the centre of the box with his cross however, Kyle Cameron was alert to the danger as he turned the ball behind. From the resultant corner the delivery for Arne Engels fell nicely to Cameron Carter-Vickers however, he blasted his effort over.

Celtic continued to create chances and on 11 minutes Kühn was unable to find the target with his left-footed effort. Then a minute later the Parkhead side created another opportunity as Johnston played in Kyogo Furuhashi, but his effort went wide of the target.

The league leaders came even closer on 14 minutes as Engels gathered the ball from Álex Valle before unleashing a shot from a tight angle which hit the side netting.

PHOTO: Matt Smith and Arne Engles

Engels got another sight of goal on 20 minutes however, Josh Rae made a good save to deny the Belgian. Rae was called into action again on 26 minutes as a through ball from Yang Hyun-Jun played in Engels however, he was again denied by Rae as the Saints keeper made a good block.

However, there was nothing Rae could do on the half an hour mark as Celtic took the lead. Hatate burst forward before picking out Kühn and the German winger cut inside as he moved the ball onto his left foot before slotting it beyond Rae and into the net.

Kühn came close to scoring his and Celtic’s second of the afternoon on 33 minutes as the winger fired a curling strike towards to the top corner however, Rae made an excellent save to touch the ball over. Engels took the corner from the left and his delivery was met by Liam Scales at the near post however, he put his effort over the bar.

The pressure on the Saints goal continued and on 40 minutes Rae made another good save, this time to deny Valle. The loose ball then broke to Paulo Bernardo, but Božo Mikulić made an excellent block to deny the Portuguese midfielder.

PHOTO: Fran Franczak and Álex Valle

Saints made a triple change at half time as Adama Sidibeh, Benji Kimpioka and Lewis Neilson came on to replace Nicky Clark, Makenzie Kirk and Aaron Essel.

On 49 minutes a quick kick up field by Kasper Schmeichel played in Kühn down the right channel and he picked out Furuhashi in the box however, the strike from the forward hit the side netting.

The hosts thought they had doubled their lead on 51 minutes when Cameron turned the ball into his own net, following Johnston’s cross into the box. However, the goal was chalked off for offside, which was confirmed by a VAR review, as Johnston had been offside before his cross had struck the Saints defender.  

The one-way traffic towards the Saints goal continued and on 56 minutes Rae made another good save as he pushed the ball behind for a corner. Then shortly after a cross from Scales was met by Furuhashi but his effort was comfortably held by Rae.

Celtic continued to charge forward and Kühn was next to try his luck on 57 minutes as he flashed an effort across the face of goal following good build-up work from Yang and Hatate.

PHOTO: Benji Kimpioka holds off Reo Hatate

The hosts were dominating possession and they would double their advantage on 59 minutes. Hatate sent over a cross into the six-yard box which Bernardo got on the end of to direct his effort towards goal which was saved by Rae. However, the ball broke to Furuhashi who turned it home from point blank range with a diving header.

On 61 minutes a rare foray by Saints saw Sidibeh win a free kick in a promising position after the forward had been fouled by Carter-Vickers. Matt Smith took the free kick however, his delivery into the Celtic box was turned behind for a corner by Carter-Vickers.

Celtic though soon made it 3-0 on 64 minutes as Furuhashi got his second of the afternoon. A whipping cross into the box from the right by Engels picked out the Japanese forward and he turned the ball beyond Rae from close range.

Saints made another change on 69 minutes as Graham Carey was introduced into the action, replacing Sven Sprangler.

PHOTO: Fran Franczak and Yang Hyun-Jun

With 19 minutes remaining Mikulić made a brilliant interception to take the ball away from Celtic substitute Adam Idah just as he was about the pull the trigger.

However, the Parkhead side made it 4-0 on 73 minutes. A through ball from Bernardo played in Daizen Maeda and the substitute coolly slotted the ball into the net.

Celtic continued to press forward and on 78 minutes Callum MacGregor flashed an effort wide.

Saints then made a further change a minute later as Jason Holt came on to replace Jack Sanders.

With 8 minutes remaining Valle saw his effort from just outside the box go wide of the target. Then on 86 minutes Rae made another good save to keep the score down as he denied former Dundee midfielder Luke McCowan as the hosts comfortably saw out the final minutes of the match.  

Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston (Ralston 74’), Scales, Furuhashi (Idah 68’), Kühn (Maeda 68’), Valle, Yang Hyun-Jun, Carter-Vickers, Engels (McGregor 67’), Bernardo, Hatate (McCowan 74’)

Unused Substitutes: Sinisalo (GK), Taylor, Trusty, Palma

Booked: None

Scorers: Kühn (30’), Furuhashi (59’, 64’), Maeda (73’)

Saints: Rae, Mikulić, Raymond, Cameron, Sanders (Holt 79’), Clark (Sidibeh 45’), Essel (Neilson 45’), Smith, Sprangler (Carey 69’), Kirk (Kimpioka 45’), Franczak

Unused Substitutes: Sinclair (GK), Wright, Kucheriavyi, Keltjens  

Booked: Essel

Referee: Matthew MacDermid

VAR: David Dickenson  

Attendance: TBC

Match Report by Daryl Scott

Picture: Matt Smith is tackled by Arne Engels