Brendan Rodgers’ slip at Hampden was the only moment of consternation as Celtic brushed Aberdeen aside to inflict defeat for the first time – and emphatic at that – as Jimmy Thelin’s side came back to earth with quite the bump.
With Celtic leading 3-0 and the game heading towards the break, Rodgers was irked as he urged his side to move the ball quicker with an eye on more goals.
Frustrated as the ball headed towards him, he lashed at it to boot it away and in the process his dress shoes, not really the footwear for Hampden’s sodden November turf, slid as he landed on his backside.
A yellow card from Kevin Clancy only added insult to injury.
It was a solitary blip with the embarrassed faces all belonging to those in the red shirts.
A double from Daizen Maeda was supplemented by Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn as Celtic ran rampant.
Nicky Devlin, whose performances this season have earned him a call up to Steve Clarke’s Scotland side, will still be looking over his shoulder for Maeda as he heads to bed tonight.
The Japanese winger gave Devlin a torrid time, repeatedly stealing in behind him as Celtic exploited that space and then some.
Having dominated the early exchanges without carving open too many clear cut chances, Celtic’s breakthrough came via the head of Carter-Vickers.
The defender got up to meet Arne Engels’ corner and, having taking a firm grip of the game, Celtic turned the screw.
Within ten minutes they were three to the good and the game had gotten away from the Dons.
Kyogo netted the second with Maeda instrumental in its creation. An Aberdeen corner was cleared by Celtic and, with Slobodan Ribezic waiting for the ball to land at his feet, Maeda did not need an invitation to steal it off his tow on the halfway line.
His pace took him goalwards before turning the ball into Kyogo’s path with his fellow countryman lashing an effort from close range off the underside of the bar.
Maeda claimed the third and fourth either side of the break. Kuhn’s picked out Maeda’s darting run in behind Devlin with the winger expanding Celtic’s advantage.
Aberdeen made changes at the break but there was no renaissance this time. Instead, Celtic kept their foot to the floor.
By the time the hour rolled around they were five to the good and Rodgers had the luxury of making changes with an eye on Leipzig on Tuesday night.
Maeda’s fourth had come after fine work from Kuhn. His mazy run and shot at goal drew a save from Dimitar Mitov with Maeda on hand to tap in the rebound.
Not to be dissuaded, Kuhn added the fifth after Engels had slipped the ball into his path with the winger curling an effort off the underside of the bar. A lengthy VAR check ensued before the green light was given.
They weren’t done. Maeda claimed his hat-trick before the night was out, the culmination of a sweeping move with Bernardo back-heeling the ball into the path of Alistair Johnston. His pass across the face of goal was turned in by Maeda as Aberdeen prayed for the respite of the full-time whistle.
Download Our App!
Get Instant Access To The Latest Football News To Your Phone
