Celtic defeated Hibernian 4-1 in the 16th round of the 2023-2024 Scottish Premiership held at Celtic Park in Glesgo, Scotland on Wednesday. With the victory, Celtic have secured the lone lead by going on an unbeaten run in the opening 16 matches.
On the day, Rogers put Oh Hyun-kyu on the starting list for the first time in a long time. He started all five games on the bench since the game against Ross County last month, but in this game, he started instead of Japan’s national striker Furuhashi.
It was Rogers’ decision considering Furuhashi’s recent performance. Furuhashi was even the top scorer under Ange Postecoglou last season, but he has become increasingly quiet. He has only scored one goal in eight official matches recently.
On the other hand, Oh Hyun-kyu gradually increased his influence after shaking off his thigh injury. In the 11th round, he scored his first goal of the season in front of his family in the match against St. Mirren. Oh Hyun-kyu, who gained momentum, scored multiple goals in the match against Everdeen in the 13th round, and secured a chance to start with his skills.
Rodgers’ choice was the correct answer. Oh gave Celtic the lead by scoring a lucky first goal just five minutes into the first half. Cameron Carter Vickers put his foot on a corner kick that Lewis Palma had. The shot deflected off Oh Hyun-kyu, who was in front of the goal, and went into the goal.
Oh Hyun-kyu, who scored his fourth goal of this season, continued to seek multiple goals by checking opportunities for shooting. He hit Palma’s cross on the head at the 14th minute of the first half, but it went over the net. Alistair Johnstone’s cross at the 20th minute of the first half was blocked by the goalkeeper’s save.
In the end, Oh scored multiple goals. Callum McGregor scored a forward pass from the left at 10 minutes into the second half, and Oh Hyun-kyu overcame defense and physical struggle to catch the ball in the box. Shaking off the defense, Oh shook Hibernian’s net once again, drilling through the goalkeeper with an accurate right foot shot.
Oh finished his duties with his fourth and fifth goals of this season. He left the stadium as a substitute for Furuhashi in the 18th minute of the second half. Celtic allowed Christian Doidge to chase after him in the 27th minute of the second half, but they ended the game without losing any more points and secured three points. 메이저 토토사이트
“The players showed great attitude. It was a really good victory,” Rodgers said after the game. “I changed the starting lineup because I believe in new players. In particular, I thought Oh Hyun-kyu was outstanding in the front.”
“Oh Hyun-kyu has set a good example for the team, and I’m really pleased with his performance. He is definitely playing with that confidence. McGregor’s forward pass was outstanding. Oh Hyun-kyu went back and penetrated, showed strength, came inside and finished really well. He is training really well, and he was very effective in the game,” he praised.
In addition, Rogers added, “Oh Hyun-kyu’s performance was outstanding. He scored well and he pressed aggressively. He ran hard until his socks came off.”
Celtic senior Peter Grant also applauded Oh’s performance, saying, “Mickey Johnston played well. And so did Oh. Both of them had a big impact on the game.”
Oh did not miss the opportunity that came his way. Now, the front-line competition, which had been solidified as Furuhashi starter-Oh Hyun-kyu’s bench, is expected to be cracked.