Rangers 1-2 Celtic: How 'superstar' Kyogo repeated Hampden heroics in derby triumph

1 year ago 51

Amid chaotic celebrations successful the Celtic extremity astatine Hampden connected Sunday, Callum McGregor was asked astir Kyogo Furuhashi's match-winning performance. "He's a peculiar player," the skipper rather simply responded.

It was an apt portrayal of a antheral whose 23rd and 24th goals of the run had conscionable downed metropolis rivals Rangers, delivering the Viaplay Cup for a 2nd play running.

Fourteen months prior, connected the aforesaid stage, astatine the aforesaid venue, the 28-year-old's treble dispatched Hibernian, delivering the archetypal trophy of the Ange Postecoglou era.

"Sometimes the measurement of a footballer astatine this nine is whether you tin present connected the large occasions," the Celtic brag said of his talisman. "He wants the large moments. He delivered again."

'Clever, invaluable and outstanding'

Postecoglou billed Sunday's last arsenic a lucifer of "great consequence". It appeared that load of value was hanging implicit some sets of players successful the aboriginal exchanges astatine Hampden. That included Kyogo, who passed up a fistful of opportunities with the crippled goalless.

Even with a value of expectancy connected his shoulders, determination was nary accidental the Japan guardant was going to let those misses to faze him. The ruthless streak helium possesses embodies the relentlessness of the onslaught helium spearheads.

"As agelong arsenic I was lasting connected the pitch, I knew much chances would come," Kyogo said post-match. So it proved arsenic the Japan planetary showcased his cunning question and poacher's instinct to unfastened the scoring earlier repeating the process to adhd a 2nd aft the break.

"He wants to beryllium beforehand and centre erstwhile the opportunities are there," Celtic brag Postecoglou added. "But it's conscionable not astir the goals, adjacent though they are the astir important thing.

"It's invaluable to person a subordinate who is consenting to bash everything successful his powerfulness to assistance the team. He conscionable works truthful hard. The rewards helium gets are hard earned. He's specified a clever player.

"The size helium is, the players he's up against, helium doesn't shirk immoderate of it. He's been outstanding from the infinitesimal helium joined the shot club."

Twenty-four goals and counting...

Kyogo's play successful numbers

By the clip Kyogo had taken to the Hampden transportation connected Sunday, helium had already bettered the 20 goals helium scored crossed each competitions past term. In fact, helium had beaten that tally implicit 3 weeks ago.

The 28-year-old has already played much minutes this word than helium managed past season, which was disrupted by injury.

The 24 goals helium has scored truthful acold this run adds to a precise awesome full of 44 crossed 68 games since his accomplishment from Vissel Kobe successful the summertime of 2021 - but his numbers from this play successful peculiar are staggering.

In the league, Kyogo manages a extremity each 82 minutes, which averages retired to 1.09 goals per 90. The 19 Premiership goals helium has bagged this play person travel via 60 shots, meaning helium needs conscionable implicit 3 shots to people a goal.

Sunday's last besides meant the Japan planetary became conscionable the 2nd Celtic subordinate to people back-to-back braces successful League Cup finals aft Billy McPhail successful 1956 and 1957.

"He's a superstar," nine skipper McGregor said. "I can't speech highly capable of him. That's 2 finals successful a enactment he's scored the goals that person won it. We're fortunate to person him."

With Postecoglou's men 9 points wide astatine the apical of the Premiership and a Scottish Cup quarter-final astatine Hearts connected the way, determination is simply a increasing anticipation of a home treble.

Don't stake against Celtic's talisman being the 1 to supply much decisive moments if the nine are to assertion a 5th treble successful 7 years.

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