In an exciting pre-season friendly that was as much about building fitness as it was about honing tactics, Celtic faced off against Yokohama Marinos.
With Celtic just starting to find their footing and Yokohama already halfway through their league campaign in Japan, the match promised to be an intriguing encounter.
The clash was not just a test of skill and strategy, but also a measure of endurance and adaptability. As the teams took to the pitch, fans eagerly anticipated the action, aware that the results of such friendlies can often be unpredictable, given the differing stages of preparation for each side. A high-scoring game unfolded that kept spectators on the edge of their seats.
The game kicked off with Yokohama scoring an early goal in the 3rd minute, courtesy of a blunder by Joe Hart. Celtic responded swiftly when Hatate won possession deep in Celtic’s half, delivering a superb pass to Abada. Abada then crossed the ball low to Maeda, who finished with ease. Celtic maintained their high press, and Maeda scored his second goal of the game in the 20th minute, putting Celtic in the lead. However, this lead was short-lived, as Yokohama equalized just three minutes later.
The game then entered a quiet phase for about 10 minutes, with neither team creating any significant chances. Yokohama eventually broke the silence with a great opportunity, but Joe Hart made a crucial save to keep the score level. Shortly after, Maeda attempted a long-range shot to secure his hat trick, but the keeper tipped it past the post. Joe Hart atoned for his earlier blunder with a great save to keep the game at 3-2. Maeda eventually completed his hat-trick, with Iwata providing a low pass for him to strike into the bottom corner with a first-time shot.
The second half began with a single substitution: Joe Hart was replaced by Benjamin Siegrist. Yokohama sought to equalize once again, but their shot narrowly missed the post. Callum McGregor attempted to extend Celtic’s lead with a well-struck shot from outside the box, but the keeper fumbled before eventually securing the ball.
Soon after, Maeda had a promising opportunity just outside the 6-yard box with a first-time volley, but the keeper made an impressive save. Yokohama managed to level the score at 3-3 in the 59th minute, capitalizing on an error from Starfelt. Celtic made their second substitution due to an injury to Kobiyashi, bringing Stephen Welsh onto the pitch. Yokohama then took the lead for the second time in the match, scoring a goal that Siegrist could have prevented. The ball going under the Swiss keeper.
In the 74th minute, Celtic made most of their substitutions, bringing on nine players: Oh, Kyogo, Summers, Forrest, Daniel Kelly, David Turnbull, Ben McPherson, Bernabei, and Liam Scales. The players replaced were Abada, Maeda, Haksa, Hatate, O’Riley, McGregor, Iwata, Starfelt, and Taylor. After captain Callum McGregor was substituted, the armband was handed to James Forrest.
The subs didn’t cover themselves in glory.
Oh had an opportunity to score from a free kick just outside the box, but his shot hit the wall. He had another chance to score shortly after but was fouled. The Celtic fans were adamant it was a penalty, but the referee allowed play to continue.
In the 84th minute, Yokohama extended their lead by two goals and soon added another. David Turnbull got on the scoresheet with a deflected shot from outside the box that hit the post and went in. After play resumed, the final whistle was blown in the 93rd minute. The match ended 6-4 in favour of Yokohama, with Maeda receiving the match ball against his former club.
As the dust settles on this high-scoring pre-season friendly, Celtic focuses on their upcoming fixtures. The team will continue their tour of Japan with a match against Osaka this Saturday, providing another opportunity to build fitness and fine-tune tactics.
Following their Japanese tour, the Hoops will turn their attention to a significant pre-season encounter against Wolves. This match, set to take place in Dublin at the end of July, will undoubtedly serve as a crucial test for the squad ahead of the new season. As Celtic continue their pre-season preparations, fans will be eagerly watching for signs of progress and cohesion, hopeful that these early tests will lay a solid foundation for the challenges that lie ahead in the upcoming campaign.
