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Devastating Daizen Maeda inspires sensational Celtic as Hoops batter Aberdeen to book final place - 5 talking points
Daizen Maeda cracked a hat-trick as rampant Celtic ripped apart Aberdeen’s unbeaten record and stormed into the Premier Sports Cup Final.
Brendan Rodgers extended his impeccable Hampden record to 12 wins out of 12 as his charges dismantled the destroyed Dons. Celtic and Aberdeen are locked at the top of the Premiership separated only by goal difference with 10 games gone. However, on this semi-final date, Rodgers’ team showed their outstanding class to ravage the Reds. Cameron Carter-Vickers headed the first before Japanese pair Kyogo Furuhashi and Maeda made it three before half-time.
Maeda’s second and curling cracker from the outstanding Nicolas Kuhn had Celtic five-up by the hour mark as they refused to step off the gas. In the end, it finished at six as Maeda completed his own treble six minutes from time and it was a horrific way for the Reds’ unbeaten start to the season to end.
Having held Celtic on their own patch two weeks previously in the top-flight and then beaten Rangers in midweek, they headed to Hampden with belief. But they were simply washed away by the impressive Hoops, who, as well as booking a place in the December 15 showpiece, set themselves up beautifully for Tuesday’s Champions League cracker against Bundesliga cracks RB Leipzig. That’ll be a massive Euro test. This was, quite simply, a display of domestic force and dominance.
It was late to kick-off due to the smoke lingering from pyros and there was little in the way of chances in the opening quarter. But when Celtic got going, they, too, caught fire and Carter-Vickers powered them in front from a set piece just before the half hour.
Arne Engels’ corner dropped right onto the six-yard line and the centre-back rose higher than any Dons defender to crash a close-range header beyond Mitov. Soon it would be two after a lightning counter attack.
Kuhn was cleaned out as he released Maeda, but referee Kevin Clancy played advantage and the Japanese raced into the box before stopping and rolling to Kyogo.
The striker took a touch and rifled home via the underside of the bar to double the lead for Rodgers’ side. Aberdeen had recovered from that scoreline in the Premiership meeting 14 days ago, but Celtic had learned their lesson, just as they said. They just romped further ahead and out of sight. Rodgers’ men took a three-goal lead when Maeda secured his first of the game, finishing a sublime reverse pass from Kuhn expertly.
The Japanese made it four soon after the restart when, after his German sidekick created more mayhem, he had a simple task to fire into an empty net.
Kuhn’s work was deserving of a goal for himself and he duly delivered it in stunning style with a strike in off the crossbar for the fifth just before the hour.
Rodgers could start to think of Leipzig with key men such as Carter-Vickers taken off ahead of the Champions League crunch. Maeda, though, wasn’t finished and slammed home a perfect Alistair Johnston cross to cap a gorgeous move and a glittering Celtic performance. Here's five talking points from Hampden:
Wide Bhoys
Maeda and Kuhn were given a breather during the week and they were able to use their ability and energy to magnificently carve Aberdeen apart. It was about pace and precision as they set up Kyogo to strike the second goal and it was more of the same with an exquisite pass from the German and an accurate finish from the Japanese making it three.
Nicky Devlin and Jack MacKenzie were able to boss the Rangers wingers in their previous game, but they were given a torrid time by this outstanding Celtic duo and that was summed up by the fourth. Kuhn just glided away and danced his way into the penalty box and his sidekick Maeda was on hand to tap home his second of the match. The creator firmly deserved his strike and massive ovation when replaced by James Forrest.
Maeda’s hat-trick iced the cake and this pair are really delivering the goals with a host of assists to match. At the same time, they are willing to get the sleeves up and do a power of work for the team. Just brilliant.
Defensive decisions
Carter-Vickers burst the door open at one end and kept it bolted shut at the other. His presence is enormous, but the debate over the first-choice partner is an intriguing one.
Rodgers had a huge Hampden call to make with his central defence with Auston Trusty given the job alongside his compatriot again with the pair having started together in midweek against Dundee.
Given the form of Liam Scales this season, it was a big decision from the manager and the American lads justified it, nipping what little threat Aberdeen had in the bud quickly.
Having paid £6million for Trusty as a natural left-sider, his claims are strong, yet the form of Scales this season has been terrific.
Rodgers just wants competition. These three provide it for two spots. It’s going to be fascinating to see who gets the nod against RB Leipzig on Tuesday.
Carter-Vickers was taken off with half an hour to go which says he, as expected will be one. Trusty is in possession for the other starting slot.
Don't let the Reds drop
Thelin’s team were outgunned and outdone by a vibrant Celtic team who looked determined to show who is the country’s best. But no-one at Pittodrie or within the support should take it as anything other than just a setback, even though the manner of it is sore.
Winning 15 of their opening 16 games, Aberdeen have still given themselves a magnificent platform to keep surging this term, regardless of how badly this went wrong.
Celtic are the elite side in Scotland and, although the Swede’s side hauled them back in Glasgow two weeks previously, it is just impossible at this stage of his Dons’ development to be matching Rodgers’ champions on a game-to-game basis.
Parkhead fans chanted “are you Rangers in disguise” at Aberdeen. But they are not. Right now, the Reds are better and the job for them now is to keep showing that. Thelin will just reset and go again. There will be additions in January. The night was painful, but the future is rosy.
Squad power
Freshness was a key angle into the game for Celtic with Rodgers able to make six changes to his starting line-up to add bundles of energy as well as undoubted quality.
Captain Callum McGregor, Johnston, Alex Valle, Reo Hatate, Kuhn and Maeda were all back in the team which also left an extremely powerful bench, which will utlised in the closing stages to maintain the pace.
Aberdeen had to put so much into their midweek victory over Rangers and, although the players would have been buoyant heading to the National Stadium, it was never going to be easy on their legs to get them pumping again with full energy.
It showed during the heavily one-sided contest. Facing a side of Celtic’s quality, with an additional spring in their step, is a brutal task.
Celtic have better players across all areas than the Reds. They have way too much at their best anyway. But with an additional zest, they are miles out of reach of anyone in Scotland.
Pyro pests
Whoever thinks it is a good idea to light pyros clearly don’t have much consideration for fellow fans, but also there’s the fact it does the players absolutely no good.
With warm-up times and preparation in build-up to these matches are timed to the minute by coaching staffs and the fact that referee Kevin Clancy had to delay the contest from starting by almost 15 minutes just because of the amount of smoke which had gathered just outlines the daftness of this.
If that wasn’t bad enough, more were lit just before half-time in the Celtic End just after their team went 3-0 ahead and more again just after the restart when the fourth hit the net.
Of course, this is down to the selfish individuals themselves to stop doing it. But the organisers of these matches really need to start finding a way to properly weed this out. It’s a ridiculous state of affairs. If more money needs to be spent to stop them getting into the stadiums, then spend it.
