PARADISE was smiles better for Luis Palma in the 6-0 romp against a devastated Aberdeen team who collapsed under incessant second-half pressure.
The Honduran winger scored a penalty-kick – showing recent spot-kick culprits Reo Hatate and David Turnbull how it’s done – and provided ammunition for three goals, including the crucial opener for fellow-touchline trickster Yang Hyun-jun.
Palma lit up a grey November afternoon in the east end of Glasgow with his array of tantalising talents as the champions overcame the Madrid hangover while restoring their eight-point advantage at the Premiership pinnacle.
Deservedly, the 23-year-old £3.5million summer recruit from Greek club Aris Thessaloniki won the Man of the Match award following an eye-catching 100 minutes as he tormented and teased bewildered right-back Nicky Devlin and the desperate Dons defence.
THE SIGNS ARE GOOD…Luis Palma celebrates his penalty-kick strike against Aberdeen.
The Hoops now have a 12-day rest before they return to league action with another home encounter against Motherwell and Palma, speaking to Celtic TV, said: “I was thankful I could get the goal and the result, especially after the midweek game as we had to come back strong.
“We got the result and now I’m looking forward to the international break.
“I’m very happy, not just personally, but also collectively as a team.
“We were very concentrated and we performed very well for this game.”
Palma claimed his fifth Celtic goal with a spot-kick that bamboozled keeper Kelle Roos and he also flashed over the left-wing cross for another summer arrival Yang to get his first Hoops strike to open the floodgates in the ninth minute.
The South Korean also produced an Illuminating display before being forced off after the interval following an accidental clash of heads with defender Jack MacKenzie.
LOVE STORY…Luis Palma blows kisses to the Celtic fans after netting against the Dons.
Palma also played in David Turnbull for his cheeky low drive for the fourth goal and provided a cunning lob for Oh Hyeon-gyu to head in No.5.
Kyogo Furuhashi claimed the second goal in the 16th minute, but was also forced to leave the field early in the second-half after a sickening collision with centre-back Slobodan Rubezic who was extremely lucky to escape seeing red.
Oh, who came on for the Japanese frontman, brought down the curtain on a welcome victory with the sixth deep in stoppage-time.
WHAM, BANG, THANK YOU, YANG AS HOOPS HIT SIX
