Celtic kicked off their 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign with a commanding 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock, putting them at the top of the table. Reo Hatate opened the scoring in the 17th minute, followed by Liam Scales’ header to make it 2-0 before halftime. Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn added a third with a deflected shot, and Anthony Ralston sealed the win with a late fourth goal. This win puts Celtic two points ahead of Rangers, who drew with Hearts.
Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi had several close attempts, including a goal-line clearance and a disallowed goal for offside. Despite these missed opportunities, Celtic’s manager Brendan Rodgers praised the team’s performance and their ability to adapt to different game situations. He emphasized the importance of quick play and collective effort.
Kilmarnock, dealing with a makeshift defense and coming off a demanding European match, showed resilience but ultimately couldn’t match Celtic’s quality. Manager Derek McInnes acknowledged the challenges and praised his team’s character, looking ahead to their next European fixture.
Sky Sports pundit Kris Boyd noted the difficulty Kilmarnock faced, especially with their squad’s condition and the timing of the match between two European ties. He emphasized the importance of Kilmarnock remembering their strengths from last season and regrouping for future matches.