Daizen Maeda’s Sunday Evening Celtic Post

Celtic have booked their spot in the Scottish Cup final with an emphatic 5-0 win over St Johnstone at Hampden Park.

A brace from Daizen Maeda, along with goals from Callum McGregor, Adam Idah, and Jota, saw Brendan Rodgers’ side brush aside the Perth men in a dominant semi-final display.

McGregor opened the scoring early on, setting the tone for a relentless Celtic performance. Idah, who continues to impress since arriving on loan, doubled the lead before Maeda took centre stage with two well-taken goals either side of the interval. Jota then got in on the act, finishing off the scoring as the Hoops coasted into next month’s final.

20th April 2025; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Scottish Cup Football Semi Final, St Johnstone versus Celtic; Daizen Maeda of Celtic celebrates after shoots and scores in the 37th minute to make it 2-0

The win secures a final showdown with Aberdeen at the national stadium. With the league title all but wrapped up — Celtic needing just a point against Dundee United next weekend to seal their 55th Scottish top-flight crown — the Scottish Cup final is now firmly in focus.

Maeda, who notched his 32nd goal of the season in all competitions, was quick to underline the importance of the occasion. Posting after the match, he wrote: “See you here again in May! Focus on the next game!” The Japanese international is in blistering form, and a 40-goal season is now a real possibility if he maintains his current scoring rate.

His relentless pace and clinical finishing have been vital to Rodgers’ campaign, and with a potential double on the line, Maeda’s role in the run-in looks more crucial than ever.

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