Daizen Maeda scores hat trick in 100th game with Celtic

Scotland’s Glasgow With a 4-2 victory over Livingston on Sunday, the reigning champions secured their spot in the Scottish Cup semifinals, thanks in large part to a hat-trick from Daizen Maeda, who celebrated his 100th Celtic appearance.
However, the victory was far from easy, especially after Hearts’ league loss the previous weekend.

In search of the team’s first victory at Parkhead, Livingston, who is now bottom of the Premiership standings, twice overcame a deficit to equalize through goals from Daniel MacKay and Tete Yengi.

But from 2-2, Maeda went on to complete his hat trick in the 86th minute, and then, late into stoppage time, fellow Japan international Kyogo Furuhashi gave Celtic a pleasing look at the score.

Callum McGregor, Celtic’s captain, was again sidelined. He plans to return from an Achilles injury following the international break.

Because Cameron Carter-Vickers has had multiple layoffs this season owing to a persistent hamstring issue, Hoops manager Brendan Rodgers made the decision to rest the defender.

Despite being happy with Maeda’s finish, winger Rodgers stated: “We didn’t close the spaces nearly as much as we would have liked and our game didn’t move at the rate we would have liked. However, I do understand the caliber of players that were absent as well as some of the new people.”

David Martindale, the manager of Livingston, expressed his hope that his team, which is now six points below the standings, would get confidence from this performance.

“I’m pretty proud of them albeit we’re out of the Cup,” he stated.

“We’re having a terrible season and are in a terrible run. Though I can only hope the players absorb a small amount of self-belief, I don’t need it.”

The arch-rivals of Celtic, Rangers, defeated nine-man Hibernian 2-0.

After David Marshall stopped captain James Tavernier’s penalty kick, John Lundstram pushed in a rebound to give League Cup winners Rangers a 23rd-minute lead.

Nevertheless, Hibs managed to stay in the match even after losing Martin Boyle to a concerning injury. After John Souttar collided with the Australia international, the player lay motionless on the Easter Road surface.

After a long wait, Boyle was carried off the field on a stretcher and into the hospital.

After a 2-2 draw with Benfica in the Europa League on Thursday in Lisbon, Rangers looked to be having trouble early in the second half.

However, in the span of three minutes, Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Jordan Obita of Hibs were both dismissed.

After a foul on Rabbi Matondo in the 68th minute, Obita was sent off for a second bookable offense, while Moriah-Welsh received a straight red card for a careless challenge on Lundstram.

Hibs held out until the final seven minutes of play, when a goal from Portuguese striker Fabio Silva gave the visitors the lead.

Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, and the victorious Morton team from Monday’s Championship match against Hearts will compete in the semifinals.

MORE NEWS HERE