KYOGO FURUHASHI has been wrecker-in-chief when Celtic have emerged triumphant over their Ibrox foes in recent years.
The pacy Japanese striker netted his first derby goal with a late equaliser in the 2-2 Premiership draw in Govan in January 2023 – and once the barrier had been broken he has helped himself to a feast of crucial strikes.
A month after the league stalemate, he thumped in a double to help Ange Postecoglou’s side to a League Cup Final victory at Hampden and there was another two-goal show in the crucial 3-2 success at Parkhead in April as the Hoops powered to a second consecutive title.
The goals have continued to stack up for the prolific hitman and he kept the sequence going with a delightful low drive into Jack Butland’s left-hand corner of the net as the hosts eased to a 3-0 win in the first league meeting of the Glasgow rivals in September.
THE SIGNS ARE GOOD…Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates with Greg Taylor after scoring the first goal in Celtic’s 2-1 League Cup Final victory at Hampden in February 2023.
Former Celtic goal hero Chris Sutton believes the £4.6million recruit from J-League Vissel Kobe in July 2021 could be the man to make a difference when the two sides lock horns again in the Premier Sports League Cup Final at Hampden on Sunday.
The former England international forward said: “There’s no reason to think the lethal Japanese striker won’t extend his marvellous record. Big players deliver in big games.
“When it comes to Scotland, there is no bigger fixture and there has been no bigger man in the contests recently than the striker. Kyogo’s recent run against Rangers has been terrific and, if Celtic are going to win the Cup, there’s every reason to think he’ll be central to the success.
“Kyogo has been a contrasting watch over the past week. Last Saturday, I thought his goal against Hibs was absolutely sublime. The way he let James Forrest’s pass run through to collect with his back leg into his path was brilliant enough.
“But to then have the composure to feint and sit the keeper on his backside before lifting a finish over him was just gorgeous.
“There was a big smile on his face afterwards, yet contrast that with the figure which trooped off at the Maksimir Stadium on Tuesday night.
BY THE LEFT…Kyogo Furuhashi sweeps in the winner past Jack Butland in Celtic’s 2-1 league triumph at Parkhead in December last year.
“Kyogo would have been desperate to get a first Champions League goal away from home for Celtic, but it just wasn’t his night.
“He seemed slightly off it when receiving the ball and there were times he didn’t get possession that also caught my eye.
“On two or three occasions, he looked to have made a trademark darting run in behind only for the pass not to come his way or for the intended delivery to go astray.”
Sutton, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “It happened just before he went off in the second period and there’s nothing worse for a striker when you think you are in, you escape markers and then a team-mate either doesn’t spot you or doesn’t find you.
“It felt like that on occasions for Kyogo in Croatia, but I can only imagine that has made him even more determined to deliver at Hampden.
“Kyogo has made it his business to damage Rangers time and again over the past couple of years and he also has that happy knack of being able to do it at the national stadium in the major Finals and semi-finals.
“Fair enough, it needed Adam Idah to come off the bench and win the Scottish Cup Final for Brendan Rodgers’ team in May.
“But Kyogo was right back into the Old Firm groove when the teams met again for the first time this season with his excellent finish as Celtic cantered to a 3-0 success.
“It was one of the performances of this season which has really caught the eye. At times, Rodgers’ team have played some scintillating stuff.
“I’m interested in the fact that there have been one or two grumbles over recent games. I could agree that Celtic have played in patches through some of those games, but they are still getting the job done and I feel for the players in some ways.
“My old manager Martin O’Neill used to say how difficult it was to win matches week in and week out. It takes a certain mentality to keep that going and, quite simply, you can’t always be firing.”
BY THE RIGHT…Kyogo Furuhashi leaves Jack Butland helpless with a low drive for Celtic’s second goal in the 3-0 triumph at Parkhead in September.
Sutton, somewhat surprisingly, doesn’t believe a defeat for his old team in the silverware showpiece showdown would be disastrous.
The media pundit points to the improvement at Champions League level that has put Brendan Rodgers’ side in an excellent position to reach the play-off stages with just games next month against Switzerland’s Young Boys in Glasgow and Aston Villa in the Midlands to play.
The Hoops are on nine points and Sutton added: “Celtic are making that progress and it’s why I think that, even if they lost at Hampden to Rangers, it wouldn’t be a catastrophic blow for Rodgers or take away their steps in the right Euro direction, even if it would be a punch in the stomach on the day.
“However, there’s every chance the one dishing out the KOs will be Kyogo. He’s done it often enough.
“It’d be foolish to say he can’t do it again.”
