Daizen Maeda's Hat-Trick Near Miss Secures Celtic Victory Over Falkirk in Title Race

Daizen Maeda was back to his sensational, nuisance best as title-chasing Celtic dispatched Falkirk. Fans may well be wondering where this version of the Japan forward has been all season. Prior to his first-minute opener against St Mirren in the Scottish Cup semi-final last week, Maeda had not scored since the start of January against Dundee United. He has now netted three goals and assisted twice in six days, showing his worth to a Celtic side who are targeting a fifth successive league title. Hearts and Rangers will play their latest part in the engrossing race on Sunday, but for now Celtic sit level on points with Derek McInnes' men and a point clear of Danny Rohl's. Maeda was the catalyst for Martin O'Neill's side stepping up when it counted and piling pressure on the other two in the first post-split round of fixtures. After the season of his life last year, scoring 33 goals for Celtic, Maeda has failed to match that form, only crossing the double-figure threshold with his double against Falkirk in Saturday's 3-1 win. In both his interim stints as manager this season, O'Neill has struggled to find a solution to the striker conundrum that has left Celtic void of a clinical edge up front. Maeda's contribution against the Bairns, though, could be timely, with Celtic in the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline next month and trying to pip Hearts and Rangers, who both boast a superior goal difference, in a sprint finish to the league. "I thought we saw it through and Maeda was fantastic," said O'Neill. "He got us a goal last week out of nothing in the first minute of the game, he scores two today, he's been fantastic. "He's really coming back to form and it's a good time for us at this minute. He was outstanding today." A game-high five shots, three on target, and 0.75 xG (expected goals), Maeda was a nuisance for Falkirk all game. Celtic's opening two goals came from his tenacity and pressing. First, he caught Keelan Adams dwelling on the ball to steal in and fire past Nicky Hogarth from range for his first league goal in 13 games. Then he robbed Ben Broggio of possession, quickly exchange of passes with James Forrest, and slid in Kieran Tierney for a thumping goal. Maeda's second, Celtic's third, was instinctive striker play as he dropped off his marker to swing around in the box and convert a driven Sebastian Tounekti cross. He seemed certain to bag a hat-trick in the dying minutes but pushed his shot wide, although replays show he was offside, saving him from a scolding in the changing room. "I was pleased the one that he missed was actually offside, otherwise I'd have killed him," added O'Neill. "No, you couldn't have done that today to him." At the interval, with the hosts two up, BBC Sportsound pundit Andy Halliday was full of praise for the energetic forward. "The difference has been Maeda," the Motherwell midfielder said. "His energy levels are remarkable. He plays with such enthusiasm. It's been the Daizen Maeda show." Following his stellar campaign last year, Maeda's prospective move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg collapsed as Celtic were unable to bring in a replacement. "It may well have been that move to the Bundesliga may have affected him at the time," added O'Neill. "Maybe he thought he was all set up. I think he had maybe done his job here and felt 'Well, maybe I deserve to go to the Bundesliga'. "And when it didn't happen, and apparently it may have been at the 11th hour, there will be a natural disappointment. "But he's come roaring back. He deserves any accolades that have been bestowed on him over the past few weeks."