By Pearse McLaughlin
Yokohama F. Marinos edge a 10-goal thriller here at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. Daizen Maeda netted a first half hattrick before Yokohama F. Marinos blitzed Brendan Rodgers’s men to triumph 6-4.
The home side have taken the lead with just four minutes on the clock through J-League 1’s top goal scorer, Anderson Lopes. Marcos Junior found a pocket of space between midfield and defence before playing a ball into Anderson Lopes who was shepherded well by Carl Starfelt but for a huge error by Joe Hart who somehow lost control of the ball and dropped it right at the feet of Anderson Lopes who had the simple task of tapping the ball into the empty net. Absolute howler from Joe Hart. 1-0 Yokohama F. Marinos.
An instant response by Celtic as it only took two minutes to equalise, and wouldn’t you know it Daizen Maeda comes back to haunt his former side. Muted celebrations from the former Yokohama F. Marinos striker. It all came from the brilliance of Reo Hatate as he times his tackle on Elber to perfection before playing an exquisite ball in behind for Liel Abada, Abada uses his pace to get in behind with a 2-on-1 situation he squares the ball for Daizen Maeda who fires ball into the roof of the net from close range. 1-1. Game on.
Celtic take the lead on the 21st minute courtesy of Daizen Maeda. It’s that combination again as Liel Abada gets his second assist of the game as Daizen Maeda also nets his second goal. It all started from Club captain; Callum McGregor breaks the lines by picking out Reo Hatate in acres of space who then plays a slide rule pass to Tomoki Iwata who then plays it wide to Liel Abada who fires in a low cross into Daizen Maeda who taps home. 2-1 Celtic. Great team move. What a turnaround.
The lead only lasted two minutes before Kota Mizunuma equalised. Yokohama F. Marinos have responded themselves immediately through Kota Mizunuma. It all came from danger man, Marcos Junior who again seems to be the architect for Yokohama’s attacks. This time Marcos Junior picked out the run of Kota Mizunuma who ghosted in behind Greg Taylor before sliding the ball into the roof of the net. 2-2. What a move by Yokohama F. Marinos.
Ten minutes later, saw Joe Hart pull off a terrific stop from Anderson Lopes from point blank range and goes some way to redeeming himself for his earlier mistake. 1-on-1 Anderson Lopes tried to give Joe Hart the eyes, but he waited and read Lopes brilliantly and gets a big paw to it to divert the ball away. Phenomenal save by the former England Manchester City number 1.
A mere two minutes later saw Daizen Maeda try his luck from all of 40 yards out. What a goal that would have been for Daizen Maeda to seal his hattrick but for Jun Ichimori scrambling to tip the ball behind for the corner. From all of 40 yards out without taking a touch as the ball broke to him Daizen Maeda tried to lob Jun Ichimori who was well off his line and certainly would have been a contender for the Puskas award. Daizen Maeda is brimming with confidence.
Another great opportunity that Yokohama F. Marinos squander to retake the lead this time it is courtesy of Marcos Junior. The ball broke to him after a knock down from Anderson Lopes, he tried to lob Joe Hart, but he read it and palmed it away but fortunately it came back to him and with a few Celtic players on the line he tried another chip, and it sailed harmlessly over the bar. Big let off for Celtic. It remains 2-2.
Hattrick hero, Daizen Maeda. Celtic retake the lead three minutes before the break. It all came from Reo Hatate who takes the ball brilliantly under pressure before spinning Kota Watanabe with ease before playing it to Callum McGregor who wastes no time playing the ball out to Liel Abada on the right-hand side, who drives inside with ball before waiting for the overlapping run of Tomoki Iwata who fires in a first-time low cross into Daizen Maeda who just guides the ball into the bottom left-hand corner. Another devastating counterattack by Celtic which was finished off expertly again by Daizen Maeda. 3-2 Celtic.
A fabulous half of football from both sides as the game ebbed and flowed with some fabulous skills, touches, and goals on show. Celtic lead 3-2 at the break courtesy of a Daizen Maeda hattrick against his old club. The J-League 1 side, Yokohama F. Marinos are halfway through their domestic league and at times it has shown. Brazilian duo Marcos Junior and Anderson Lopes have been the pick of the bunch in terms of creatively. More of the same in the second half please as both sides just want to attack. I expect wholesale changes from Celtic as they step up their pre-season preparations.
First chance of the second half came the way of Celtic on the 53rd minute and wouldn’t you know it it’s that man again Daizen Maeda. Daizen Maeda nearly nets his fourth goal of the game as he is picked out expertly by captain, Callum McGregor who plays a delicious ball over the defence and Maeda tries his luck with an acrobatic attempt, but it is straight at Jun Ichimori. The movement and fitness levels of Daizen Maeda are incredible.
A minute shy of the hour mark and Yokohama F. Marinos equalise through Anderson Lopes who notches his second goal of the game. A mistake by Carl Starfelt as he dallies on the ball which allows Anderson Lopes to bear down on goal and coolly slot the ball into the bottom right-hand corner. Another bad mistake from Celtic’s point of view. Anderson Lopes shows his killer instinct as to why he is J-League 1’s top goal scorer. 3-3 and we’re tied again. Game on.
The hosts are back in front on the 66th minute courtesy of Yuki Saneto who timed his run in behind brilliantly before poking the ball through the legs of the on-rushing Benjamin Siegrist. 4-3 Yokohama F. Marinos. Another terrific move by the hosts as they show why they’re midway through their season.
A massive penalty shout from Celtic on the 81st minute as Oh Hyeon-Gyu is bundled over inside the six-yard-box but the referee remarkably waves play on. The move was engineered by the brilliance of David Turnbull who plays a terrific first-time ball in behind to pick out the run of captain, James Forrest who slides the ball across to Oh Hyeon-Gyu who had the simple of tasks to tap it home but was bundled over and no penalty was given. Shocking decision from the officials regardless of it is a friendly or not.
Former Gunner, Ryo Miyaichi came in on the blindside of Ben McPherson and rose highest off Kenta Inoue’s cross and bulleted a header into the bottom left-hand corner. 5-3 Yokohama F. Marinos.
A mere three minutes later, sees a quickfire double from Ryo Miyaichi has well and truly put this game out of the reach of Celtic. Ryo Miyaichi and Kenta Inoue combine again to great effect as Kenta Inoue shows a great turn of pace to burst down the right flank before showing the composure to pick out Ryo Miyaichi on the penalty spot as he slots the ball into the bottom right-hand corner. Devastating counterattack as it is now 6-3.
Two minutes into added time sees cultured midfielder David Turnbull collect the ball from 30 yards out and unleash an unstoppable rocket of a shot which swivelled all over the place in the air before crashing off the inside of the right-hand post and into the back of the net. A stunner from David Turnbull as he often is capable of this sort of brilliance and has something no other Celtic midfielder possesses. The game finishes 6-4.
A great game of attacking football from both sides in what was a 10-goal thriller. The game had everything from great team goals, errors at the back, bad refereeing decisions, skills, trickery and to top it off a screamer. Celtic ran out of legs in the end against the current J-League 1 champions, Yokohama F. Marinos.
A great run out for Celtic as they look to try formations, tactics, and personnel as they step up their preseason preparations under new boss, Brendan Rodgers. Next up for Celtic is another friendly in Japan on Saturday as they face Gamba Osaka which is also a 7pm kick off.
Next up for Yokohama F. Marinos is another preseason friendly treble winners Manchester City here at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama on Sunday the 23rd of July which is also a 7pm kick off.
Yokohama F. Marinos: Jun Ichimori (Hiroki Ilkura 62’), Riku Yamane (Yuhi Murakami 77’), Shinnosuke Hatanaka (Takumi Kamijima 62’), Eduardo (Yuki Saneto 62’), Katsuya Nagato (Kaina Yoshio 77’), Takuya Kida (Joel Chima Fujita 62’), Kota Watanabe (Keigo Sakakibara 62’), Kota Mizunuma (Kenta Inoue 46’ Takuto Kimura89’), Marcos Junior (Asahi Uenaka 46), Elber (Ryo Miyaichi 46’), Anderson Lopes (Kenyu Sugimoto 62’). Subs not used: Fuma Shirasaka, Yan Matheus.
Celtic FC: Hart (Siegrist 46’), Iwata (McPherson 74’), Starfelt (Bernabei 74’), Kobayashi (Welsh 60’), Taylor (Scales 74’), McGregor (Turnbull 74’), O’Riley (Kelly 74’), Hatate (Forrest 74’), Abada (Oh Hyeon-Gyu 74’), Maeda (Kyogo 74’), Haksabanovic (Summers 74’). Subs not used: Bain, Lawal, Vata.
Reporter: Pearse McLaughlin
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