Scottish Premiership

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC… 4

(Giakoumakis 11 & 18 & 61 pen, Maeda 26)

ROSS COUNTY… 0

A ruthless Celtic, aided by the inform Giorgos Giakoumakis, helped the Hoops to all three points in a clinical 4-0 win over Ross County.

The Greek striker played a part in each of the four goals, scoring his second hat-trick of the season and assisting Daizen Maeda, as Ange Postecoglou’s side keep the unbeaten run going with another dazzling attacking display.

Before the game got underway, there was a minute’s applause for former player and interim manager Frank Connor who sadly died earlier this week aged 86.

With the sun shining on Celtic Park the Celts looked in a bright mood when things got started, almost taking the lead inside two minutes, as Jota fired over the top after good set-up play from Tom Rogic.

The breakthrough wouldn’t take long though as on 11 minutes the Hoops were 1-0 up. Jota picked up the ball on the left-wing and cut inside to deliver a curling cross to the back post which was perfect for Giakoumakis to slam a header past Ross Laidlaw in the County net.

Giakoumakis certainly had his shooting boots on as just seven minutes later he would get his and Celtic’s second in an electric start from Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Josip Juranovic delivered the ball into the box and found Maeda at the back post. He nodded it into Giakouamkis’s path and after his initial header was cleared off the line it bounced back to the number seven to head into the bottom right corner.

The chances kept coming and Laidlaw was kept busy, producing two fine saves on 25 minutes from a Maeda header and then a low Callum McGregor drive which was tipped round the post for a corner.

The resulting set-piece led to the third goal just a minute later. This time Giakoumakis was the provider as he headed the corner kick into the path of Maeda, who stretched every muscle in his body to wrong-foot the keeper and prod it into the bottom right corner.

Everything was going Celtic’s way and in 29 minutes the visitors were reduced to 10 men as Kayne Ramsey was sent off for a wild challenge on Rogic, with the Australian feeling the full force of it and having to come off for Matt O’Riley.

It was an onslaught from Celtic at this point, cutting Ross County apart with every attacking movement. Hatate was finding pockets of space on the left and it was in this position he played a clinical through ball to the advancing Greg Taylor who was denied his first goal of the season with a great save on 38 minutes.

Then a minute later, there was almost a contender for goal of the season, as one-touch play from Maeda and Hatate set up O’Riley on the edge of the box who just curled his shot wide to the applause of all those inside Celtic Park.

Giorgos Giakoumakis hat-trick helps seal all three points in impressive victory over Ross County