GLASGOW: Japan’s Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi each scored two times as champions Celtic bolstered their grip on best spot within the Scottish Premiership with a 4-1 victory over St Johnstone on Saturday. The good fortune in entrance of their very own lovers at Parkhead noticed Celtic repair their nine-point lead over arch Glasgow competitors Rangers.
Drey Wright pulled a target again for the guests in a fit the place Celtic change David Turnbull used to be despatched off in stoppage time after a VAR test for his foul on Saints goalkeeper Remi Matthews. Hatate’s double used to be the entire extra spectacular given the midfielder used to be deployed at right-back within the absence of the injured Anthony Ralston and with Josip Juranovic on a post-Global Cup ruin.
“He used to be nice,” stated Celtic supervisor Ange Postecoglou of Hatate. “Reo has performed left-back previous in his occupation, which I knew from Japan, however he’s no longer a full-back, that’s needless to say. “Credit score to him, I believed even defensively he did a just right process and stored his self-discipline and his place. Once I advised him, he used to be all in.” Celtic went forward within the 14th minute when Furuhashi despatched compatriot Daizen Maeda sprinting down the left. Maeda’s low move in the end got here to Hatate, with the makeshift full-back’s 20-yard strike finishing a made in Japan target.
Furuhashi doubled Celtic’s lead 4 mins later, flicking in a move from Matt O’Riley, earlier than his close-range end 5 mins earlier than half-time left the Hoops in entire command at 3-0. Hatate’s 2nd target within the 52nd minute used to be to start with disallowed for offside earlier than being reinstated following a VAR test. Somewhere else, St Mirren defeated 10-man Aberdeen 3-1 in spite of lacking two in their 3 consequences. Aberdeen, who had already misplaced to Celtic and Rangers this week, went forward via Matty Kennedy earlier than captain Anthony Stewart used to be despatched off within the thirty fifth minute.
His go out noticed Saints awarded their first penalty, with Mark O’Hara hitting the publish earlier than the ball went in off the again of goalkeeper Kelle Roos for an unfortunate own-goal. O’Hara made it 2-1 from the spot within the 53rd minute earlier than Jonah Ayunga overlooked the risk to increase the Friends’ lead from a 3rd penalty. Aberdeen despatched Roos up for a nook in a determined seek for an equaliser deep into stoppage time, however Saints counter-attacked and Greg Kiltie rolled the ball into an empty internet from 30 yards.
Lawrence Shankland’s overdue penalty secured a 2-2 draw for Hearts at Dundee United in a fit overshadowed by way of a significant harm to Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon. Steven Fletcher and Dylan Levitt scored for the hosts each side of Michael Smith’s equaliser earlier than Shankland’s 94th minute spot-kick gave the guests some degree at Tannadice. Hearts keeper Gordon, 39, used to be carried off along with his leg in a brace halfway via the second one 1/2 after a collision with Fletcher.
The draw supposed Hearts remained fourth within the desk. Edinburgh competitors Hibernian ended a run of 7 defeats in 8 Premiership fits with a 4-0 rout of 10-man Livingston. An strange first-half noticed Jason Holt despatched off after quarter-hour earlier than Hibs scored 3 objectives in an insignificant 8 mins via Kevin Nisbet, Chris Cadden and Kyle Magennis earlier than Magennis grabbed a 2nd target early in the second one 1/2. Hibs captain David Marshall made two penalty saves overdue directly to maintain his blank sheet. – AFP