Three takeaways from Celtic’s hard-fought win over Kilmarnock

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The Celtic Star

·19 January 2025

Three takeaways from Celtic’s hard-fought win over Kilmarnock

My three takeaways from Celtic’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup fourth round last night at Celtic Park which effectively takes us to within four games of a ninth treble…

Robby McCrorie gets treatment after a collision with Nicolas Kühn during the Scottish Cup Fourth Round match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Into the hat

Callum McGregor applauds the support after the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup on 18 January 2025 at Celtic Park. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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It certainly wasn’t a resounding scoreline for the Scottish Cup holders, but does it matter? Sealing our place in the last 16 means Celtic are that step closer to securing in my eyes, a Treble. Four games away to an historic ninth Treble.

The Hoops created umpteen opportunities against an organised Kilmarnock side, and I personally lost count of how many glaring chances Brendan Rodgers’ men passed up. On another day the visitors could have easily left Celtic Park with a heavy defeat.

If you’re glass half-full like me, it should be viewed as a positive that we created several opportunities heading into a mammoth encounter in the Champions League on Wednesday night. 18 shots, seven on target, and the performance merited a more comfortable scoreline. The draw for the Scottish Cup fifth round will commence tomorrow evening after the Dundee Derby at Dens Park.

Deadly Daizen

Daizen Maeda celebrates scoring the winning goal during the Scottish Cup Fourth Round match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Mr Reliable, once again. Maeda’s winner was his 15th goal in all competitions for Celtic this season. In comparison to last season, he netted on 10 occasions. With 15 league games to go, four possible Scottish Cup ties and more Champions League encounters on the horizon, Deadly Daizen is on course for his best individual season in a Celtic jersey since he arrived from Yokohama Marinos in January 2021.

Including his five assists during this campaign, the 27 year-old winger has now notched 20 goal contributions and there’s still three matches to be played in January. If there are still lingering doubts over his consistency, surely these stats alone should quash those nonsensical observations. Alongside his fellow wideman Nicolas Kuhn, the duo have been Celtic’s outstanding performers of season 2024/2025.

Box-office Brendan

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers iat full time during the Scottish Cup Fourth Round match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Brendan sought revenge on his counterpart Derek McInnes last night. The Kilmarnock boss created a piece of Scottish footballing history last season after he became the first manager to defeat a Brendan Rodgers side across the Irishman’s two spells as Celtic manager in a domestic cup competition.

The Hoops’ narrow 2-1 victory over Killie at Paradise yesterday evening was Rodgers’ 31st victory from 32 cup games between 2016-2019 and 2023-2025. On course for completing a third Treble as Celtic manager, Box-office Brendan’s domestic dominance is unrivalled to any Scottish footballing manager in modern times. That cruel 1-0 loss at Rugby Park in August last season will still annoy the 51 year-old domineering figure, but at least knocking McInnes out will at least give that annoyance some respite.

Conor Spence

Kasper Schmeichel protests after Bobby Wales scores during the Scottish Cup Fourth Round match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on January 18, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)