Celtic secured their place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Hibernian at Celtic Park. Goals from Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah sealed the win, with both players sharing their thoughts after the match. Their reactions reflected the determination and resilience within the Hoops as they continue their pursuit of another domestic treble.
Idah Delighted with Important Win
Speaking after the match, Adam Idah expressed his joy at reaching the semi-finals, emphasising the importance of bouncing back from the previous defeat at Easter Road.
Idah said: (Premier Sports), “Yeah, really good. It was a great performance. After the result last time against them, we knew coming in today was going to be tough, and we wanted to prove to everyone what a team we are. To come back from a loss and the boys showed that today, and we’re through to the next one.”
When asked if the previous defeat was on the players’ minds, Idah admitted they had to move on quickly. “I wouldn’t say we were conscious of it, but yeah, like you said, we had to put the game last week to bed. We looked over our mistakes in the last game and put it right tonight. To be fair to the boys, they were brilliant the whole game.”
Maeda’s Influence Continues
Daizen Maeda was once again instrumental in Celtic’s victory, scoring the opening goal to continue his impressive run of form. Speaking about his goal, he kept it simple: “Yeah, I’m happy to score the goal. We dominated the game and we played well.”
Idah was full of praise for Maeda, recognising his consistency and importance to the team. “It’s been unbelievable. I don’t know how many games that is in a row now where he’s scored. It’s not just his goals, but his performance on the pitch as well has been amazing. There’s been a big change with Daizen. He’s been fantastic. He’s the number one name on the team sheet every single week. We’d be lost without him—not just attacking-wise, but defensively as well. He’s unbelievable, and what a season he’s been having. We’re delighted to have him in the team.”
Idah’s Late Strike Seals the Win
As the game neared its conclusion, Celtic still needed a second goal to truly put the game to bed. That moment arrived in stoppage time, with Idah sealing the victory.
Reflecting on his goal, he said, “Yeah, it was good. I haven’t scored a goal in a while now, so to come on and only be on for a short period of time and to get the goal was nice to get that feeling back in. Hopefully, I can continue that going forward.”
With his goal ensuring Celtic’s safe passage to Hampden, the Irish striker will be eager to build on this momentum in the crucial games ahead.
Eyes on the Semi-Finals
With Celtic now one step closer to another Scottish Cup final, the focus remains on finishing the season strongly. Maeda, who was named Scottish Cup Player of the Match, will look to continue his fine form, while Idah will hope his late goal is the start of a strong run-in. The Hoops now turn their attention back to league action, with a massive showdown against Rangers at Celtic Park looming next week.
