FILIPE JOTA has a 100 per cent record as a penalty-taker at Celtic, but he knows he is likely to lose the job as soon as Aaron Mooy returns.
The Portuguese ace sunk his second successive spot-kick when he thumped the Hoops into a first-half stoppage-time lead against Ross County in the 2-0 win in Dingwall yesterday.
Jota didn’t shirk responsibility as he walloped his effort straight down the middle of the goal as keeper Ross Laidlaw took off for his right.
ON THE BALL…Filipe Jota prepares to take the penalty-kick.
THUMBS UP…Filipe Jota is a happy Bhoy as ball hit the Ross County net.
In the previous encounter, Jota hit the leveller in the 3-1 victory over Hibs at Parkhead with a low shot that crept under ex-Celt David Marshall at his left.
But the exciting winger realises the duties may pass once again to Australia’s World Cup midfielder Mooy who missed the matches against the Easter Road outfit and the Highlanders through injury.
Jota is enjoying it while it lasts and admitted: “Football is about feelings and being in the zone, that’s where I was, so I just want to keep doing that.”
Reflecting on the action against Malky Mackay’s relegation-battling Highlanders, the former Benfica prospect, speaking to Sky Sports, added: “We know that every time we come here it is a tough match, they always go deep, so we have to find the spaces in between the lines.
“It was another difficult one, but in the end it came good.
“Getting the goal before half-time was good, we just tried to control the game in the second-half, but we could have delivered more goals.”
THAT’S MY BHOY…skipper Callum McGregor congratulates spot-on Filipe Jota with Kyogo Furuhashi and Matt O’Riley about to join in the Dingwall celebrations.
Jota was out of luck when he clattered an effort off the crossbar in the first minute of second-half stoppage-time.
Greg Taylor, who limped off to be replaced by second-goal marksman Alexandro Bernabei, had the same misfortune when the hit the post in the first-half.
The main thing from the season’s third trip to the Global Enegry Stadium was to get a win and that was achieved to set up the derby at Parkhead on Saturday.
The champions have the opportunity to go 12 points ahead with seven games to play – and Jota hopes to be put on the spot again.
JOTA PENALTY AND BERNABEI BLASTER GET JOB DONE
