Celtic secured their 54th Scottish league title in impressive fashion, defeating Kilmarnock 5-0. This victory propelled them six points ahead of Rangers with only one game left to play.
Despite having lost twice at Rugby Park earlier in the season, Celtic showed no signs of faltering as they quickly established a 3-0 lead within the first 35 minutes through goals from Adam Idah, Daizen Maeda, and James Forrest. In the second half, Matt O’Riley added two more goals to cap off his exceptional season.
This latest triumph marks Celtic’s 12th title in 13 years, bringing them within one title of Rangers’ record of 55 Scottish titles. However, this season’s race was one of the closest in recent memory, with Brendan Rodgers’ team initially falling behind Rangers by seven points with 10 games remaining. The return of key players from injury and Rodgers’ managerial expertise played a crucial role in Celtic’s comeback, allowing them to reclaim the top spot.
Rodgers surprised many with his team selection for the match against Kilmarnock, opting to start Idah instead of Kyogo Furuhashi, the only change from their previous victory over Rangers. This decision proved to be inspired as Idah scored the opening goal just five minutes into the game, capitalizing on a brilliant cross from O’Riley.
Despite initial criticism surrounding Idah’s loan move from Norwich in January, the 23-year-old has proven his worth by scoring eight league goals in just 11 appearances, significantly contributing to Celtic’s title-winning campaign.
Maeda, the Japanese international, also found the back of the net with a close-range finish after an impressive team buildup. Idah and Maeda then combined to set up Forrest for an easy goal, further solidifying Celtic’s dominance in the match. With this resounding victory, Celtic showcased their strength and determination, ultimately securing another well-deserved league title.
O’Riley completed a clean sweep of awards at Celtic’s player-of-the-year ceremony on Sunday, with the Danish international capping off the scoring in style.
The 23-year-old skillfully found the back of the net before calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner, bringing his total for the season to 18 goals and 18 assists.
With potential interest from clubs such as Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan, O’Riley may only have two more matches left in his Celtic career.
However, he could potentially end his time at Celtic with another trophy, as the team aims to secure a double in just 10 days when they face off against Old Firm in the Scottish Cup final.