KYOGO FURUHASHI is aiming to smash a striking jinx against St Johnstone in Perth this evening.
Amazingly, the prolific Celtic hitman has yet to score an away goal in the Premiership in 2024.
His last league counter on his travels came in a 4-1 success over Hearts at Tynecastle on October 22 2023 – almost a YEAR ago!
It’s an extraordinary statistic for the pacy Japanese international forward who has been the champions’ top scorer each year since his £4.6million arrival from Vissel Kobe in late July 2021.
Despite missing four months of his debut campaign with two separate injuries, Kyogo still finished in pole position with 20 strikes.
CAPITAL PERFORMANCE…Kyogo Furuhashi fires past the stranded Zander Clark on Celtic’s way to a 4-1 win over Hearts in October last year – the Japanese striker’s last league goal on his travels.
The following term, the pacy attack-leader fired in 34 goals on the Hoops’ way to a glorious treble, the eighth in the club’s history and a record in top-flight European football.
Last time around, Kyogo collected 19 goals to share top spot with Matt O’Riley.
Among those strikes, the 29-year-old forward claimed two in the Champions League, three in the Scottish Cup and 14 in the league.
As well as the goal at Tynecastle in October last year, Kyogo netted two others away from home – one in the 3-1 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on August 13 and the memorable first-time matchwinning strike at Ibrox on September 3.
PICK IT OUT…Kyogo Furuhashi races away in joy after scoring the first goal in Celtic’s 2-0 Scottish Cup win over St Mirren in Paisley in February. Keeper Zach Hemming is helpless as Adam Idah is about to congratulate his fellow-frontman on his strike which remains his only away goal in 2024.
Kyogo’s only away goal this year came in the 2-0 Scottish Cup victory over St Mirren in Paisley on February 11 when he swept in the opener before his countryman Daizen Maeda doubled the advantage.
The player’s penalty box pedigree is not in question, but it is time this remarkable sequence came to a conclusion.
This evening at McDiarmid Park would be a perfect location to emphasise his prowess away from the east end of Glasgow.
AWAY DAZE…Kyogo Furuhashi slams in the matchwinner at Ibrox on September 3 last year.
KYOGO’S 2023/24 GOAL TRAIL
August 5 2023
Celtic 4 Ross County 2
Turnbull 2 (1 pen), KYOGO, O’Riley.
August 13
Aberdeen 1 Celtic 3
Abada, KYOGO, O’Riley
September 3
Rangers 0 Celtic 1
KYOGO
September 16
Celtic 3 Dundee 0
Turnbull (pen), KYOGO, O’Riley
October 4
Champions League
Celtic 1 Lazio 2
KYOGO
October 22
Hearts 1 Celtic 4
O’Riley, Maeda, KYOGO, Iwata
October 25
Champions League
Celtic 2 Atletico Madrid 2
KYOGO, Palma
November 12
Celtic 6 Aberdeen 0
Yang, KYOGO, Palma (pen), Turnbull, Oh (2)
December 23
Celtic 2 Livingston
KYOGO, Scales
December 30
Celtic 2 Rangers 1
Bernardo, KYOGO
January 21 2024
Scottish Cup
Celtic 5 Buckie Thistle 0
Bernardo, Holm, KYOGO, Palma, Vata
February 11
Scottish Cup
St Mirren 0 Celtic 2
KYOGO, Maeda
February 17
Celtic 1 Kilmarnock 1
KYOGO
March 10
Scottish Cup
Celtic 4 Livingston 2
Maeda (3), KYOGO
March 16
Celtic 3 St Johnstone 1
KYOGO, Kuhn, Forrest
April 13
Celtic 3 St Mirren 0
Hatate, KYOGO, Idah
May 4
Celtic 3 Hearts 0
KYOGO (2), O’Riley (pen)
May 18
Celtic 3 St Mirren 2
O’Riley, KYOGO, Palma
September 1
Celtic 3 Rangers 0
Maeda, KYOGO, McGregor
Champions League
Celtic 5 Slovan Bratislava 1
Scales, KYOGO, Engels (pen), Maeda, Idah
(All games Premiership unless otherwise stated.)
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report and best action images from St Johnstone v Celtic this evening – only in your champion CQN.
