Premier Sports CupFriday, August 15, 2025Celtic Park, Glasgow CELTIC…4(Maeda 25, Johnston 51, Murray 61, Henderson 64og) FALKIRK…1(Adams 67) Celtic cruised into the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Falkirk at Paradise. The cup holders started the defence of their trophy in a positive manner, attacking Falkirk down either flank and delivering a number of dangerous balls into the box without anyone getting on the end of them. Johnny Kenny had a great chance for the opener after 10 minutes when he latched on to a lay-off from James Forrest, but his first-time shot from the edge of the six-yard box flashed just wide of the target. Former Celtic keeper, Scott Bain, now between the sticks for Falkirk, then denied Callum McGregor after the Celtic captain tried his luck from the edge of the box. The visitors’ first effort came in the 13th minute when Ross MacIver was put through on goal, but his weak effort went wide of the target. Celtic went straight up the park, and Bain was on call to deny Kieran Tierney his first goal since returning to the club after he tried his luck from 20 yards out. Arne Engels came even closer on 24 minutes when his free-kick from the edge of the area came back off the post, but just a minute later the Hoops took the lead. A ball clipped in to the back post was knocked across goal by Tierney, and Daizen Maeda was on hand to head home from six yards out to make it 1-0. Falkirk tested Viljami Sinisalo just two minutes later with a powerful 25-yard strike, but the Finnish keeper produced a superb save to push the ball round the post. James Forrest passed up an opportunity to double Celtic’s lead on 37 minutes when he headed a Luke McCowan cross over from six yards out, while Sinisalo saved from MacIver just three minutes later to ensure Celtic remained 1-0 ahead at the break.James Forrest came close to his first goal of the campaign when he fired in a powerful shot just four minutes after the break, but Scott Bain produced another good save to deny him. But on 53 minutes, the Hoops did double their lead and it was a wonderful finish from Alistair Johnston. The Canadian defender surged into the box and fired home an unstoppable left-foot shot to make it 2-0. And just after the hour mark, Dane Murray scored his first goal for Celtic to make it 3-0. He rose highest to head home an Arne Engels corner, and it capped a great day for the young defender, having signed a new deal with the club earlier in the day before making a start against Falkirk. And just three minutes after that goal, it was 4-0 to the cup holders when Liam Henderson turned a Yang cross into his own net. Falkirk did score a consolation strike in the 67th minute when Keelan Adams blasted a shot into the top corner of the net. There was to be no further scoring, although Celtic remained in control and Paulo Bernardo came closest with an effort from the edge of the box that was deflected wide for a corner.
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