Celtic sweep past St Johnstone

Japan’s Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi each scored two times as champions Celtic reinforced their grip on pinnacle spot within the Scottish Premiership with a 4-1 victory over St Johnstone on Saturday.

The success in front of their personal lovers at Parkhead noticed Celtic repair their 9-point lead over arch Glasgow competitors Rangers.

Drey Wright pulled a aim back for the visitors in a fit where Celtic alternative David Turnbull was despatched off in stoppage time after a VAR take a look at for his foul on Saints goalkeeper Remi Matthews.

Hatate’s double turned into all of the extra extraordinary given the midfielder become deployed at right-again inside the absence of the injured Anthony Ralston and with Josip Juranovic on a publish-World Cup smash.

“He was excellent,” stated Celtic supervisor Ange Postecoglou of Hatate. “Reo has played left-returned earlier in his profession, which I knew from Japan, however he is now not a complete-again, it truly is for positive.

“Credit to him, I concept even defensively he did a terrific activity and saved his area and his function. As soon as I informed him, he become all in.”

Celtic went in advance in the 14th minute when Furuhashi sent compatriot Daizen Maeda sprinting down the left.

Maeda’s low go in the end came to Hatate, with the makeshift full-back’s 20-backyard strike completing a made in Japan intention.

Furuhashi doubled Celtic’s lead 4 mins later, flicking in a go from Matt O’Riley, earlier than his close-range end five minutes before half-time left the Hoops in complete command at three-0.

Hatate’s 2nd intention in the 52nd minute became to begin with disallowed for offside before being reinstated following a VAR take a look at.

Elsewhere, St Mirren defeated 10-man Aberdeen three-1 no matter lacking two in their 3 penalties.

Aberdeen, who had already misplaced to Celtic and Rangers this week, went beforehand through Matty Kennedy before captain Anthony Stewart changed into despatched off in the 35th minute.

His exit saw Saints provided their first penalty, with Mark O’Hara hitting the put up earlier than the ball went in off the returned of goalkeeper Kelle Roos for an unfortunate own-goal.

O’Hara made it 2-1 from the spot inside the 53rd minute earlier than Jonah Ayunga neglected the danger to extend the Buddies’ lead from a third penalty.

Aberdeen sent Roos up for a corner in a desperate search for an equaliser deep into stoppage time, however Saints counter-attacked and Greg Kiltie rolled the ball into an empty net from 30 yards.Lawrence Shankland’s past due penalty secured a 2-2 draw for Hearts at Dundee United in a suit overshadowed by a severe damage to Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

Steven Fletcher and Dylan Levitt scored for the hosts both side of Michael Smith’s equaliser earlier than Shankland’s 94th minute spot-kick gave the site visitors a point at Tannadice.

Hearts keeper Gordon, 39, became carried off together with his leg in a brace midway through the second one half after a collision with Fletcher.

The draw meant Hearts remained fourth within the table.

Edinburgh opponents Hibernian ended a run of 7 defeats in 8 Premiership matches with a 4-zero rout of 10-man Livingston.

An notable first-1/2 noticed Jason Holt despatched off after 15 mins earlier than Hibs scored three desires in a mere eight mins through Kevin Nisbet, Chris Cadden and Kyle Magennis before Magennis grabbed a second intention early in the second half of.