Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Lochlin Highet

Kilmarnock 1 Celtic 4 as champions-elect run riot in Ayrshire

It was a pain-free easy afternoon for Celtic as they cruised to a comfortable win in Kilmarnock.

The champions-elect visited Rugby Park with the hosts seeking an unlikely result to spring them away from relegation danger.

But the Glasgow side swept Killie aside with four goals and a missed penalty within half an hour.

Goals from Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and a Matt O’Riley brace ensured it was an easy afternoon for the visitors, before Liam Donnelly grabbed one back just before the break.

It took Celtic just seven minutes to get in front when Kyogo latched on to a slack back pass from Fraser Murray and ran into the area before calmly converting.

Daizen Maeda scores to make it 2-0 Celtic (SNS Group)

Five minutes later it was two as Maeda headed home Celtic’s 100th Premiership goal of the season leaving Sam Walker he loses.

O’Riley picked up the ball in the area and it looked so easy as he calmly slotted home with no pressure on him in the 18th minute.

Celtic were awarded a penalty in the 21st minute but Kyogo unthinkably missed as he fired his effort from the spot off the post.

In the 28th minute it was four as O’Riley scored again from yet another Killie mistake which led to him shooting unpressured.

Killie fired one back just before half time as Donnelly rounded Joe Hart to finish well.

An uneventful second half played out before Luke Chambers had a great chance to pull another back, he headed towards goal from a cross before Joe Hart pulled off a fantastic save to deny the young left back.

It was a tame second period as Celtic merely went through the motions to see out a more than comfortable 4-1 victory.

Read next:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.