Celtic are able to enjoy some time off club duty as the international break takes precedence for the next couple of weeks.
Following our victory over St Johnstone last weekend, the Bhoys now sit top of the pile and will feel a renewed belief in their pursuit of the Scottish Premiership title.
Brendan Rodgers has also landed a major injury boost after Reo Hatate came through 45 minutes of a bounce match against St Mirren at Lennoxtown yesterday.
If his recovery work goes to plan, it is expected that the Japan international will have some form of involvement in our away trip to Livingston next Sunday.
Of course, his long-term injury problems prevented him from featuring in the Japan squad in their latest batch of World Cup qualifying matches.
However, his compatriot Daizen Maeda made the trip for the Samurai Blue’s double-header against North Korea, reaping the rewards of his positive Celtic form.
Without further ado, 67 Hail Hail takes a look at how Maeda got on earlier today at the Japan National Stadium.
Celtic winger Daizen Maeda stars for Japan in win vs North Korea
Earlier today, Japan made it three from three in the World Cup 2026 Asian qualifiers, narrowly edging past North Korea courtesy of an early goal from Fortuna Düsseldorf midfielder Ao Tanaka [ESPN].
Maeda played the entire 90 minutes for his national side, earning a Fotmob match rating of 7.6/10 for his industrious performance.
The 26-year-old created one goalscoring opportunity, had a solitary shot on goal and enjoyed four touches in the opposition box; however, his defensive work stood out more, which won’t surprise any Celtic supporter.
According to the statistical outlet, Maeda won ten out of his 14 contested ground duels (71%), coupled with six successful challenges and three ball recoveries, and managed all of this without giving away a single foul.
Few players exceed Maeda’s desire to work tirelessly for his national side, making him a dependable presence for club and country whenever called upon.
Japan now top their World Cup Second Round Group B table with nine points from three matches played [TNT Sports].
Hajime Moriyasu’s men travel to Pyongyang next Tuesday for their reverse fixture against North Korea. Kick-off will commence at 8 a.m. sharp.