Celtic's latest title triumph will be remembered for many things, but few contributed to this success more then Daizen Maeda. In Saturday's title decider against Hearts, it was the Japanese forward who fired home the crucial go-ahead goal three minutes from time, given after VAR review. This continued Maeda's red-hot recent form, becoming the first Celtic player ever to score in all five post-split fixtures.
Daizen Maeda's recent form
- 19 April: Celtic 6-2 St Mirren (Scottish Cup semi) - Maeda goal & assist.
- 25 April: Celtic 3-1 Falkirk - Maeda 2 goals & assist.
- 3 May: Hibernian 1-2 Celtic - Maeda goal.
- 10 May: Celtic 3-1 Rangers - Maeda 2 goals.
- 13 May: Motherwell 2-3 Celtic - Maeda goal.
- 16 May: Celtic 3-1 Heart of Midlothian - Maeda goal.
Amazingly, before opening the scoring inside 60 seconds at Hampden against St Mirren last month, Maeda had not scored since 10 January against Dundee United, going 17 appearances without finding the net. Nevertheless, fair to say he rediscovered his best form, possibly the best form during his entire four and a half years in Glasgow, at the right time.
As noted, Maeda is the first Celtic player to score in all five post-split matches, but this feat has been achieved by three other players in the past.
Players to score in all 5 post-split Premiership fixtures
Players | Club | Season | Post-split goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Kris Doolan | Partick Thistle | 2015/16 | 5 |
Kevin van Veen | Motherwell | 2022/23 | 5 |
Cyriel Dessers | Rangers | 2024/25 | 6 |
Daizen Maeda | Celtic | 2025/26 | 7 |
Note: Statistics courtesy of Scotland's Coefficient.
Kris Doolan's goals helped Partick Thistle avoid relegation in 2015/16, while Kevin van Veen ended the 2022/23 season on fire, scoring 29 times that year, subsequently sold to Groningen from Motherwell. Just last year, Cyriel Dessers of Rangers became the first player to achieve this in the top six, but Maeda has gone one better, given that he scored seven goals to the Nigerian's six.
Considering Celtic's domestic dominance, especially since the split was introduced in 2000/01, it is surprising that this has not happened before, so has anyone ever come close?
Celtic players to score in 4 post-split fixtures (2001-2025)
Players | Season | Post-split goals |
|---|---|---|
Adam Idah | 2024/25 | 5 |
Matt O'Riley | 2023/24 | 5 |
Leigh Griffiths | 2016/17 | 4 |
Anthony Stokes | 2013/14 | 6 |
Robbie Keane | 2009/10 | 4 |
Alan Thompson | 2002/03 | 5 |
Before this season, only six Celtic players had ever managed to score in four out of five post-split matches. Very recently, Adam Idah did so just last season, with Matt O'Riley achieving this a year earlier. Well, Maeda has surpassed all of them by completing the set, five out of five at the weekend.
Both Idah and O'Riley departed the following summers, which might rather be foreshadowing what will happen with Maeda in the coming months. If Saturday's Scottish Cup Final against Dunfermline Athletic at Hampden is going to be his farewell, what a player he has been.
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