Celtic 5-1 Aberdeen: Dazien Maeda scores a double as Hoops extend Scottish Premiership lead against Dons
Report as Celtic beat Aberdeen 5-1; Daizen Maeda volleyed in the opener; Jota and Callum McGregor also scored before break; Hyun-jun Yang added a fourth; Shayden Morris pulled one back; Maeda scored again late on; the Hoops move 16 points clear in the Premiership; Aberdeen remain third
Wednesday 26 February 2025 06:08, UK
Clinical Celtic extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 16 points after they returned to winning ways against Aberdeen.
Brendan Rodgers wanted a reaction after their draw at Hibs and after the Dons failed to capitalise on early chances, Daizen Maeda volleyed in the opener.
Goals from Jota and Callum McGregor all but ended the game before the break with Hyun-Jun Yang coming on to add a fourth.
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The Hoops were just minutes away from setting a new record of 10 successive home league victories without conceding a goal before Shayden Morris' late consolation.
Maeda then seized upon on a deflected Arne Engels shot in stoppage time to wrap up the victory as Celtic remain unbeaten domestically at home this season.
Aberdeen remain in third.
Celtic charge towards another Premiership title
With 10 fixtures remaining, Celtic moved further ahead of Old Firm rivals Rangers, who play on Wednesday, and are firmly on course for a domestic treble.
Rodgers reshuffled his pack with winger Jota, left-back Jeffrey Schlupp and midfielder Reo Hatate back in the side.
Thelin had asked his team for bravery but that appeared to be missing in the seventh minute as a swift counter-attack ended when Oday Dabbagh, making his first start, somehow failed to get a touch on a pass from Jeppe Okkels as keeper Kasper Schmeichel rushed out to meet him.
Moments later, the Hoops number one passed straight to Dons striker Kevin Nisbet but his shot sped past the far post.
It was two good opportunities spurned and almost inevitably they proved crucial.
Celtic's first goal in the 24th minute came when Kristers Tobers' interception of an Arne Engels through ball spun high into the air and when it came down, Maeda was first to react, volleying past hesitant keeper Ross Doohan from six yards.
Six minutes later Jota broke on the counter with pace against a stretched Dons defence and when his pass to Engels was returned he scuffed the ball into the net from 10 yards.
Aberdeen missed another chance when Okkels was played in by Dabbagh but mis-hit his shot wide with the sloppy visitors then made to pay when McGregor curled in a third after getting the break of the ball just on half-time.
Thelin replaced Nisbet and Okkels with Morris and Pape Gueye for the start of the second half and soon Rodgers, with the points secure, brought on Adam Idah, Yang and Luke McCowan for Jota, Nicolas Kuhn and Hatate.
In keeping with Aberdeen's night, Morris powered his way past Celtic defender Auston Trusty in the 64th minute but with only Schmeichel to beat he screwed his unconvincing effort past the far post.
Again, the visitors suffered when Yang worked a one-two with McCowan inside the Aberdeen box and slipped the ball past Doohan at the near post.
Midfielder Jude Bonnar, 19, came on to make his Celtic debut with 10 minutes remaining, before Morris beat Schmeichel at his near post with a powerful drive but Celtic ran back up the pitch and Maeda knocked an Alistair Johnston cross in from close range to finish the game on a high.
Rodgers praises 'incredible' intensity
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers speaking to Sky Sports:
"The level and the intensity that they've given me has been incredible. There are going to be little moments, like maybe the first half, where they're not quite there but we have to keep pushing and we have to keep working, and they've done that.
"I didn't think we were particularly good in the game, but we broke at speed in that game as well and found the quality moments. Callum's goal was an outstanding team goal, as was a couple of goals in the second half.
"Great for young Jude Bonner to get his first appearance. He's working very, very hard with the second team, he's got a good profile and he fits how we want to play, so that's a nice little taster for him."
On Daizen Maeda reaching 25 goals in all competitons this season, Rodgers added: "He's a different type of striker to the traditional number nine who will set the game up and whatever else.
"He's clinical and he anticipates where the ball is going to go and even from wide, he covers the areas that we want him to.
"So, that has been a remarkable contribution from him. His pressing and intensity in the game is outstanding.
Thelin: We will learn from this
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin on Sky Sports:
"The chances we created in the first half were good. It's a difficult away game and you created chances but we need to score some of them.
"Some of the goals they scored were good, but a bit soft from our side. You think you're doing a good performance then it's 3-0 at half-time.
"We're going to get some learning points from this game.
"We tried to be true to our identity, to be better as a team and test ourselves and I think we did some really good things in the first half but we still have things we need to improve."
'One of Celtic's biggest players'
The Sky Sports pundits had their say as Daizen Maeda impact for Celtic...
Neil Lennon:
"It's no coincidence, it's not luck. He's on 25 goals now.
"Maeda's emergence and importance to the squad over the last six to eight months has been enormous.
"I think he's become one of Celtic's biggest players and I wouldn't have said that about him a year or two ago.
James McFadden:
"It's the impact he's having.
"Not just his composure, I think he's definitely grown as a player.
"He's always there."
