Brendan Rodgers has offered an explanation for Daizen Maeda’s dramatic late miss in Sunday’s 1-1 Glasgow derby draw, revealing the winger had only just returned from Japan and trained once before the match.
The chance came at the death, with the match finely poised. Reo Hatate seized on a misplaced pass from James Tavernier and threaded Maeda through on goal. With Johnny Kenny bursting into space and screaming for the square ball, the expectation was that the Japan international would either play in his teammate or finish the move himself.
Instead, Maeda’s heavy touch took him into the path of Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly, who stood firm to block what could’ve been a match-winning moment. The ball squirmed away, and the full-time whistle blew moments later.
While many in the Celtic end and pundits alike were left frustrated—Pat Bonner among them, insisting “he’s got to pass!”—Rodgers cut a more understanding figure post-match.
“Just looking at it again, he just needs to work his body a wee bit more,” Rodgers said on Sky Sports. “Because if he shapes to the corner, he can come back and go round the keeper and score himself.
“But he’s run so far with it and a wee bit of tiredness has maybe set in. He’s flown in from Japan—he’d been in Japan all week and he only trained yesterday, so we’ll let him off with that one.”
Maeda’s work rate and tactical discipline have made him a key player under Rodgers, and his tireless pressing was evident again at Ibrox. But that sharpness in front of goal deserted him at the key moment, possibly explained by his long-haul travel and limited preparation time.
With the league title already secured, Celtic’s focus now shifts to the Scottish Cup Final. Rodgers will hope Maeda can recover fully and rediscover his clinical edge as the Hoops chase another Treble.
