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MAEDA'S GREATEST HITS: WHAT ARE THE JAPANESE STARS BEST MOMENTS IN HIS 100 GAMES FOR CELTIC?


Daizen Maeda celebrated his 100th appearance for Glasgow's green and white earlier today as he capped off that milestone with a hat-trick against Livingston in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.


Signing from Yokohama F Marinos, the Japanese international was a player well known to Ange Postecoglou, and he quickly became a name that was well known amongst the Celtic support.


His work-rate, energy and pace all make him an incredibly key component of this Celtic team, and his importance didn't fade when he transitioned to working under Brendan Rodgers, with the current gaffer stating that it doesn't feel like you are playing with 10 men with Maeda on the field after Celtic had gone down to ten men at Almondvale earlier in the season.


He has become a pretty polarising figure amongst Celtic supporters, with his lack of technical ability seeing him spurn multiple guilt-edged chances, which can prove to be costly for Celtic, especially in competitions against high profile oppositions such as the Champions League.


For all of the flaws he may nave, he more than makes up for it with his strengths, and after making his 100th appearance for the club earlier today, we decided to look at three of Daizen Maeda's greatest moments in a Celtic shirt.


Debut Goal

First impressions are key when moving to any new club in football, but the expectations at Celtic are so high that you have to hit the ground running when arriving at the club or else you will be swiftly cast aside.


Daizen Maeda made his debut for the club alongside fellow countryman Reo Hatate against Hibernian at Celtic Park, and he got off to the brightest of starts.


Similar pressing and hurrying of defenders had supporters thinking we had signed another Kyogo, and Maeda made that instant impact that he was looking for with a well-placed debut goal under the lights at Parkhead.


Derby Delight

Daizen Maeda' work off the ball has made him an incredibly important player to have in the team when facing off against arch-rivals Rangers.


Scoring in a derby will always go a long way towards earning the acclaim of the Celtic support, and Daizen Maeda can boast that feat. Whilst Celtic may have drawn on the day with Kyogo Furuhashi rescuing a point, Maeda opened the scoring for the Hoops at Ibrox as he latched onto a loose Alfredo Morelos pass and slotted past Allan McGregor to put Celtic in front a matter of moments into the game.


Easter Road Stunner

As previously mentioned, Maeda isn't particularly known for his technical prowess.


That fact made it even more surprising when on an evening trip to Leith to face Hibernian, Maeda skinned Chris Cadden down the left-hand side before curling in a spectacular long range effort beyond the keeper into the far corner.


He had stunned the Hibees, the away support, and even himself with the fact that he had produced such a stunning strike, and he has gone on to replicate that again in a Celtic shirt with a similarly skilful goal against Livingston earlier this season.

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