Celtic easily defeated Kilmarnock 2-0 on a cold winter afternoon in east Glasgow, putting them 12 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Ange Postecoglou’s team were nine points ahead of Rangers going into the match, having faced their main rivals earlier in the week in a 2-2 draw at Ibrox. If Celtic had lost at home to their old foe, Rangers would have been breathing down their necks with only a six-point gap between the two – yet a late Kyogo strike changed that.
The wind was in Postecoglou’s sails as he knew a win over troubled Killie – who they face at Hampden next weekend in a Scottish League Cup semi-final – would put them 12 points clear.
The Hoops were sending wayward passes everywhere as if they were handing them away, which made Killie’s game plan easier because they had nothing to defend in terms of genuine attacks.
Celtic created a couple of chances after the half-hour mark before Jota ultimately broke the deadlock with a fine goal from a Daizen Maeda cross that beat the outstanding Sam Walker all ends up between the Killie sticks.
At halftime, newcomer Tomoki Iwata addressed himself to the fans as he was unveiled to the crowd, and he was immediately rewarded.
A great counter-attack launched by Carl Starfelt and Aaron Mooy found Reo Hatate down the right side, with his ball finding Kyogo Furuhashi. The striker’s shot found the back of the net, but it appeared to have been an Ash Taylor own goal. Celtic were two-singing and cruising in any case.
It was sad that it wasn’t four or five, especially with the arrival of Giorgos Giakoumakis, who hit the crossbar twice in a minute, and James Forrest, who hit the crossbar late on.
Ange Postecoglou won’t be concerned; his team limited McInnes’ squad to only two shots. The outcome puts Ayrshire in ninth place, but they will be encouraged by Ross County’s defeat.
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