His name is Reo & he dances on the Dons
Star turn Hatate earns all the cheers as he runs the show
Reo Hatate received a standing ovation for an outstanding performance as Celtic relentlessly rolled over Aberdeen to maintain their iron grip on the title race.
The Japanese midf ielder added a double to the two he scored against St Mirren last week to take his tally for the season to eight – and Celtic’s to 106 – as Barry Robson’s Dons were swept aside with ease.
Ange Postecoglou’s men had this one done and dusted as early as the 12th minute thanks to Callum McGregor’s opener in just 90 seconds, followed by the first of Hatate’s goals.
And although interim boss Robson got more of a tune out of his Aberdeen side after the break, Hatate’s second of the afternoon and a thunderbolt from Liel Abada gave the margin of Celtic’s victory a more realistic look.
It was another show that sent the vast majority of the 59,509 crowd home delighted.
And Greg Taylor, who was instrumental in the first two goals, believes his team will strive to win next week ’ s Viaplay Cup Final against Rangers by playing the same kind of football.
The left-back said: “We know it’s a big one. The badge demands success, demands trophies. We aim to try to deliver them but we want to do it in a certain way and Sunday will be no different.
“We just have to focus on being the best version of ourselves and Sunday will be no different. We will give the best version of ourselves.
“The club demands trophies, success and attacking football so the cup final on Sunday will demand that.
“We know how big the occasion is but we also know we want to do it playing our football.
“D ome s t i c a l l y we ’ v e been pr e t t y c lea n and successful so hopefully that can continue until the end of the season.”
Kyogo Furuhashi, replaced early last week in the cup win over the Buddies with a shoulder injury, was on the bench, allowing South Korean striker Oh Hyeon-gyu to make his first start, while Matt O’Riley was in for Aaron Mooy, who will be fit for the final.
And the home crowd were celebrating their side’s opener within 90 seconds.
Taylor’s cross to the back stick was headed out to the edge of the box, where McGregor arrived at full pelt to lash a hal f- volley low past Dons keeper Jay Gorter, who got his right hand to it but couldn’t the ball out.
It was all the encouragement the Hoops needed and Jota’s shimmy and shot in the sixth minute needed a goal- l ine clearance from Matty Kennedy to keep the Pittodrie side in the game.
But it was merely a stay of execution. Hatate added the second after just 12 minutes, taking another Taylor pass and dropping the shoulder to flummox the Aberdeen back line which gave him too much space to find the bottom corner from 14 yards.
Celtic’s dominance was absolute and Aberdeen, terrified to try to open out for fear of being picked off, sat deeper and deeper trying to fill gaps but allowing the home side to pass and probe in what had become a training session by the 20th minute.
It looked like Celtic were about to be given the chance to go three up in the 37th minute when
Willie Collum awarded a spotkick for a Johnny Hayes foul on Daizen Maeda.
But after a lengthy VAR check, Jota – who did look offside in the build-up as his shot was saved by Gorter – was adjudged to have gone too early and the Dons were off the hook.
There was just time for Gorter to make another good save, from O’Riley after more good work from Hat ate, before the halftime whistle came as a blessed relief to Aberdeen.
Robson took off Bojan Miovski at the break, bringing on Hayden Coulston and leaving Duk up top on his own in a bid to get more bodies in the middle of the park in a 4- 5-1 formation. The move gave Robson’s side slightly more of the ball, even if the traffic continued to flow in Gorter’s direction.
Joe Hart’s pass straight to Hayes did give the Dons a rare look at goal in the 55th minute but the former Celtic man’s drilled effort from about 45 yards was well off target.
And the English keeper got away with another one in the 68 th minute when the ball bounced off his chest just outside the box as Hayes challenged him. And when it fell to Ylber Ramadani, his shot appeared to strike Hart’ s arm well outside the area but referee Collum waved aside Dons’ claims for a free-kick.
But any shred of hope Aberdeen had was snuffed out by Hatate in the 76th minute.
The midfielder had been the best player on the pitch even before he won a battle with Graeme Shinnie in the middle of the park.
He found McGregor and continued his run into the box where he took advantage of the ball bouncing off a Dons defender before steering his shot low past Gorter’s left hand.
Hatate was replaced by James Forrest a minute later, his work – and Celtic’s – done. But there was still time for Abada to rub further salt into Dons wounds with a sensational strike from fellow sub Sead Haksabanovic’s cross in the dying minutes.