Kyogo's six most important Celtic goals this season

When Ange Postecoglou swapped Japan for Glasgow in June 2021, he was faced with arguably the biggest rebuild in Celtic's history. 

The first piece of the jigsaw - and still arguably the most important - was the £4.6m signing of Kyogo Furuhashi.

51 goals into his Celtic career and we can see exactly why Postecoglou felt he was the perfect striker for the men in green and white.

Talismanic? Yes.

Up there with Henrik Larsson? Not yet...but hang fire on that.

He banged in 20 goals during his first season and so far in this campaign he has notched 31.

He has an uncanny knack of scoring against Rangers - there was his last-gasp equaliser at Ibrox in January, a match-winning double in the League Cup final, as well as another two strikes in the 3-2 league win at Celtic Park in April.

READ MORE: Why Celtic's end-of-season dip in form is not unusual

The 28-year-old also came up with the goods against Hearts at Tynecastle, when he again stepped up and netted his 30th of the season - reaching a half-century of goals for the club in the process - to secure Celtic's second consecutive title under Postecoglou.

Kyogo is the first Celtic player since Moussa Dembele in the treble-winning season of 2016-17 to reach 30 goals.

Matt O'Riley admitted that he was: "Genuinely the nicest man I've ever met."

Postecoglou stated: "From the moment this guy arrived he's been outstanding. There's not much of him out there and he's up against big strong defenders who get very physical with him at times. But make no mistake, he's a winner."

With Celtic on the cusp of a world record eighth domestic treble, Tony Haggerty picks six of the best this season from the goalscoring machine that is Kyogo.

1) Dundee United 0-9 Celtic

Scottish Premiership

August 28 2022

Celtic overwhelmed the Tangerines with a rampant display of rip-roaring, free-scoring, never-boring football, which ultimately cost Dundee United boss Jack Ross his job. The Japanese striker bags a hat-trick but his second, a side-footer, from 22 yards which nestles in the top corner is the pick of the bunch. Cue Sky Sports TV commentator: "Kyogo...that is spectacular, what a hit, what a strike, what a goal...Kyogo at his best is just brilliant!" 

2) Rangers 2-2 Celtic

Scottish Premiership 

January 2 2023

Kyogo lashed high into the net in the 88th minute as Celtic rescued a point at Ibrox to deny Michael Beale a first Glasgow Derby win as Rangers boss. It was the striker's first-ever goal against them and preserved Celtic's nine-point lead at the top. It is a pivotal goal as Kyogo made it number 16 for the campaign. It turns out to be a dramatic moment as well as a title-defining moment.

3) Celtic 4-0 St Mirren

Scottish Premiership 

January 18 2023

The attacker's wonderful movement helped him latch on to an exquisite pass from Reo Hatate and he deftly lobed the ball over advancing Saints goalkeeper Trevor Carson to make it 17 for the campaign. The goal is a thing of beauty and the player himself has since admitted that it is his own personal favourite from the season so far.

READ MORE: Celtic winger Sead Haksabanovic's mixed Hoops career so far

4) Rangers 1-2 Celtic

League Cup final - Hampden Park

February 26 2023

Kyogo's brace at the national stadium handed the Hoops the trophy for the second season running. The striker took his tally to 24 goals with two close-range finishes on either side of the interval, repeating his brace from last term's final against Hibernian. This was the seventh League Cup victory in nine years for Celtic. Kyogo sealed the match after superb build-up play by Aaron Mooy and Hatate, who combined to unlock the Rangers defence, with the latter delivering a low cross for the sliding Kyogo to expertly divert into the net.

5) Hearts 0-2 Celtic

Scottish Premiership

May 7 2023

Celtic clinched their second successive Scottish Premiership title under Ange Postecoglou and his 30th goal of the season as the champions defeated Hearts 2-0 at Tynecastle. The forward also chalked up a half-century milestone of goals for Celtic in the process. The Japan striker gets the title party underway when he delightfully prods the ball home from close range following a trademark dart to the near post and cross from Hatate.

6) Celtic 2-2 St Mirren

Scottish Premiership

May 20 2023

Kyogo slammed home the equaliser high into the net against St Mirren after a brilliant piece of striker play. Not for the first time this season, Hatate was involved in the build-up and it is he who feeds his compatriot once again to score.

This was a gem of a goal as it was Kyogo who actually pointed to fellow countryman Tomoki Iwata to play the pass to Hatate. By this point, Kyogo was on his bike and he anticipated magnificently where Hatate would deliver the ball. Hatate duly delivered and Kyogo smashed high into the net to claim number 31 for the season.

It was a sumptuous goal as Hatate and Kyogo showed that there is a telepathic understanding between them. Their spatial awareness and game intelligence are second to none. Kyogo predicted the final outcome in his head when he motioned his arm in Iwata's direction to shunt the ball to Hatate. Rather like a snooker player, Kyogo's thinking was two shots ahead - in this case, two moves ahead - and the deadly striker did not fail to find the target. The goal is a thing of beauty and befitting of two master craftsmen at work.

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