Football: Maeda key in Celtic's championship-clinching victory

Source: 毎日新聞

KILMARNOCK, Scotland (Kyodo) -- Japan's Daizen Maeda scored a goal and set up another as Celtic thrashed Kilmarnock 5-0 away Wednesday to clinch their third straight championship in the Scottish Premiership with a game to spare.

Leading 1-0 through Adam Idah's fifth-minute goal at The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park, Maeda tapped in his sixth goal of the season seven minutes later after compatriot Reo Hatate's through ball released Alistair Johnston down the right to provide the assist.

Maeda then set up James Forrest's 35th-minute strike before leaving 17 minutes after the break. Matt O'Riley added a second-half brace to complete the rout.

Celtic's 54th league title was their first under manager Brendan Rodgers after Ange Postecoglou won back-to-back championships following his move from Japan's Yokohama F Marinos.

"It feels great," Rodgers said. "It's obviously been a lot of managing over the course of the season in various aspects, but we've just got better and better, and under the pressure of the last couple of months the players have been absolutely brilliant."

Hatate put in a full shift for Celtic, while Kyogo Furuhashi and Tomoki Iwata came on as second-half substitutes.