Celtic overcame a spirited Kilmarnock side to secure a 2-1 victory in Saturday night’s Scottish Cup clash at Celtic Park. While the result ultimately saw the Bhoys progress, it was a night where missed opportunities made the scoreline tighter than it might have been.
Goals from Callum McGregor and Daizen Maeda proved decisive, with Kilmarnock’s equaliser, controversial in nature, the only real blot on Celtic’s dominance.
The match began with Celtic firmly on the front foot, and it was captain Callum McGregor who opened the scoring. The midfielder scored another cracker from outside the area, setting the tone for what should have been a comfortable evening.
However, as has been the case on occasion this season, Celtic’s failure to convert chances came back to bite them.
Kilmarnock struck against the run of play to level the match, a goal that brought significant drama. In the lead-up, the ball appeared to strike a Killie player’s arm before being bundled in, sparking furious protests from Celtic’s goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel.
VAR intervened, leading to a lengthy check. Despite Schmeichel’s protests and the visible frustration of the Celtic defence, the officials deemed the arm to be in a “natural position” under the updated handball rules, and the goal stood.
At half-time, the debate over the decision was raging among supporters, but Celtic’s response on the pitch in the second half was decisive.
Daizen Maeda, a constant thorn in Kilmarnock’s side, popped up with a well-taken winner. His relentless pressing and clever movement caused problems all night, and his goal was no less than he deserved.
Despite Celtic controlling much of the game, the lack of a clinical edge kept the tie in the balance. Schmeichel’s frustrations with the VAR decision spilled over at full time, with a video circulating online showing the Danish keeper, usually cal and collected, still remonstrating with the referee and linesman as they left the pitch.
Celtic will take heart from the win but will know they need to be more clinical in the latter stages of the competition.
