Celtic cantered to a 5-0 win in Ayrshire in the Sunday sunshine thanks to goals from Kyogo, Jota, Moritz Jenz, Carl Starfelt and Giorgos Giakoumakis.
Some spectacular goals were scored by the visitors as they made it three from three in the Scottish Premiership so far this season. Here’s how the players rated.
Joe Hart – 7/10
Kilmarnock did have a fair few efforts on goal in spite of Celtic’s dominance yet Joe Hart was up to the mark, making some routine saves. In addition, Englishman was composed on the ball and cleverly wrong footed Killie striker Oli Shaw in the second half when building up play.
Josip Juranovic – 7/10
The Croatian continues to be a stalwart at right back for Celtic and marauded up and down the right hand side with ease today. Juranovic has been linked to some big clubs South of the border in the past week yet hasn’t seemed phased by said interest as he put in another adequate performance in today’s win.
Cameron Carter-Vickers – 8/10
The centre back should’ve had his name on the scoresheet this afternoon, missing two significant headed opportunities from inside the box. However this isn’t Carter-Vickers’ primary duty with the defensive side of his game today helping his side to their second clean sheet of the season.
Moritz Jenz – 8/10
Moritz Jenz followed up his debut goal with a strike which was arguably even better than his header against Ross County last week. Just before half time today, Callum McGregor’s deflected effort from the edge of the box after a corner fell for Jenz who adjusted his body adroitly and acrobatically fired into the bottom corner via a wonderful overhead kick. Defensively, the 23 year old slightly struggled with Kyle Laffterty’s physicality however managed to prevent Killie from scoring before being subbed off injured on the 55th minute.
Greg Taylor – 8/10
Ange Postecoglou’s first choice left back continues to be nothing but reliable for the Australian. Greg Taylor has moulded into a stellar inverted full back and was tremendous today, getting up and down the left hand side and threading a splendid pass in behind the Kilmarnock defence for the visitors’ opener.
Callum McGregor – 7/10
The Celtic captain completed yet another 90 minutes in Ayrshire this afternoon, continually keeping things ticking over in the middle of the park for his side. It was McGregor’s deflected effort which allowed Moritz Jenz to net the Hoops’ third of the afternoon with the 29 year old getting a license to move further forward after Aaron Mooy’s introduction in the second half.
David Turnbull – 6/10
The midfielder didn’t particularly standout today as he continued to start in the absence of Reo Hatate. Turnbull had a fair few efforts on goal although failed to muster anything noteworthy in today’s game. Aaron Mooy came on in his place just under 25 from time.
Matt O’Riley – 7/10
It was yet another start for Matt O’Riley in the Celtic midfield today although the Dane is yet to break his duck in the 2022/23 season so far. Nonetheless, O’Riley had a low effort from outside the box saved in the second half and did create numerous chances for his teammates.
Jota – 8/10
The Portuguese winger proceeds to outdo himself every week. After a hat-trick of assists last time out, Jota today scored yet another goal of the season contender as he unleashed a venomous strike into the top left corner from over 25 yards out. It was a goal not to dissimilar to his one versus Aberdeen on opening day with the 23 year old now sitting at five goal contributions in just three appearances thus far in 2022/23 as the £6m price tag Celtic paid for him continuing to look like even more of a bargain as the weeks go on.
Kyogo – 8/10
The Japanese striker didn’t have many touches but when he did get the ball he was deadly. Six minutes in, Kyogo opened the scoring after his compatriot Daizen Maeda put it on a plate for him in the box. The 27 year old then played a lovely, threaded through ball for Jota late in the first half and was unlucky not to bag a brace when his header hit the bar just before coming off for Giorgos Giakoumakis 66 minutes in.
Daizen Maeda – 8/10
Many were calling for Liel Abada to get the nod over Daizen Maeda this afternoon although it was the Japanese who lined up from the start at Rugy Park. This call from Ange Postecoglou seemed to be the correct one with Maeda registering two assists, firstly to set up Kyogo after being played in behind by Greg Taylor and secondly to lay off Jota for his wonder goal. Similarly to his countryman Kyogo, Daizen Maeda came off on the 66th minute after a respectable day’s work.
Substitutes
In the scorching heat which basked Rugby Park this afternoon, it was no surprise Ange Postecoglou utilised all five of his available substitutes.
And two of the players the Celtic manager brought on today netted in Carl Starfelt and Giorgos Giakoumakis.
The Swede replaced German Moritz Jenz, who came off with a knock, at centre back on the 55th minute and netted his maiden Celtic goal after lashing home at the back post after seeing his initial effort saved. Starfelt ran off in delight towards the travelling Celtic support following his goal.
Giakoumakis’ goal, on the other hand, was a much more accomplished strike. The Greek came on for Kyogo 66 minutes in alongside Liel Abada and Aaron Mooy, who replaced Daizen Maeda and David Turnbull respectively, and netted his team’s second overhead kick of the afternoon. The ball dropped for the 27 year old just outside the six yard box and he thundered home acrobatically through the legs of Sam Walker in the Kilmarnock goal.
The final Celtic change of the match seen Jame Forrest replace Jota. The Scot, though, didn’t have much of an opportunity to impact the game, only being on for just over ten minutes.
Today’s Celtic win was their most complete of the season thus far. Five goals coming from all different scorers, a clean sheet and two overhead kicks made for a pleasing watch on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
There was consistency across the board in terms of both the starting lineup and individual performances today with the Hoops now sitting pretty at the top of the table, albeit by two single goals.
Up next for Celtic is a return to Paradise for the visit of Hearts next Sunday. It is a three o’clockkick off in Glasgow’s east end although one wonders whether or not the visitors could field a rotated team as a result of their Europa League play off with Swiss champions FC Zurich this coming Thursday.
