Høgh gets the rout rolling
Sixty-four seconds. That is all Kasper Høgh needed to open his account in a Celtic shirt. The 11 million pound record signing turned in Engels’ cross at the back post before Kilmarnock had even settled. Rugby Park, freshly swapped from artificial turf to natural grass, had been hoping for a very different opening.
The Dane was not done. He struck again in the 33rd minute with a finish that beat Max Stryjek, then completed his hat-trick two minutes later, heading into an empty net after a Duran cross left the keeper stranded. Three goals in a single first half from a forward who has already played Champions League football with his former club.
Try it for $0.99.
Kilmarnock collapse as Celtic cruise
The second half only deepened the misery. In the 47th minute Stryjek rolled a pass straight to the feet of Benjamin Nygren, and the Swede did not blink. 4-0. Michael Schjønning-Larsen pulled one back for the hosts in the 56th with a shot into the side netting, but it barely registered. Luke McCowan made it five in the 75th, volleying home seconds after coming on.
Kilmarnock’s defensive record is now a genuine worry: nine goals shipped in two league games. Celtic, by contrast, have opened their title defence with two straight wins. Martin O’Neill, watching from home as he recovers from surgery, saw his side set the tone early and refuse to ease off.
A warning shot for the rest of the league
The message runs past the scoreline. Every time Kilmarnock tried man-marking, Celtic moved the ball quicker and found the gaps. Høgh held it up, ran at defenders, pulled openings apart. Shaun Maloney, speaking to Sky Sports, singled out that edge after the whistle. On this evidence, the Danish striker might just be the story of Celtic’s season.
Discover more Football news on our mathodds website and app!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply