KYOGO FURUHASHI’S hopes of getting off to a winning start to his new career at Celtic were wrecked by Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday July 31 2021.
The £4.6million attacker had just arrived in Scotland a matter of hours before the 5pm kick-off in Edinburgh and manager Ange Postecoglou, preparing for his first-ever Premiership match a month after his appearance on these shores, gave the new Bhoy a place on the bench.
The boss later admitted he could see the Japanese striker, despite his late touchdown in a foreign land, was eager to get involved.
FOR MY NEXT TRICK…Kyogo Furuhashi prepares to bamboozle Hearts defender Toby Sillick in the 3-0 Scottish Cup win at Tynecastle.
It was 1-1 when Kyogo was introduced for Liel Abada 11 minutes from the end. As the game nudged towards a stalemate, John Souttar powered in a winner for the hosts.
It was a disappointing first appearance for the recruit from Vissel Kobe, but since that evening in the capital, Kyogo has managed to wreak havoc as he has sought revenge of the Gorgie spoilers.
The clubs have met eight times since the opening day loss in 2021 and the 28-year-old prolific marksman has featured in six of those matches, scoring in EVERY single one.
HEARTFELT AT HEARTS…Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates a goal at Tynecastle as Filipe Jota shares the joy.
The Hoops took on Robbie Neilson side’s in the opening match of the League Cup at Parkhead the following month and won 3-2 with Kyogo firing in the third and winning strike.
Next up was the December meeting at the same venue when the quicksilver raider thumped in the only goal of a tense encounter.
Injury kept him out of the 2-1 win in Edinburgh on January 26, but he returned to score in the 4-1 triumph over Craig Gordon and Co in the east end of Glasgow on May 7 as Postecoglou’s men set up a successful title decider in the midweek clash against Dundee United at Tannadice.
JUST CAPITAL…Kyogo Furuhashi dances with delight as he acknowledges the Celtic fans after another success in Edinburgh.
He continued the scoring streak this season when he shared the goals with Giorgos Giakoumakis in the 2-0 home win in August, but missed the dramatic 4-3 VAR-led controversial win at Tynecastle in October.
Normal service was resumed in the March double-header when Kyogo claimed one in the 3-1 home midweek league victory and was on target again in the 3-0 Scottish Cup quarter-final success in Gorgie.
Appropriately, Tynecastle this afternoon now offers the perfect setting for Celtic to seal their second successive title with Kyogo, sitting on 29 goals, looking to become a Half-Century Bhoy after last season’s return of 20 strikes.
That’s what we call kismet.
‘I WANT TO ENJOY THIS DAY,’ KYOGO ‘HONOURED’ AS HE TARGETS HEARTS
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report and the best action images from Hearts v Celtic this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
