Celtic’s League Cup victory over Falkirk remains a talking point as Brendan Rodgers’ side prepare for another trip to Hampden in November.
The 5-2 win was anything but straightforward, with Rodgers himself accepting responsibility for a less-than-impressive display from his side.
The Celtic boss made eight changes to the team that had beaten Slovan Bratislava just four days prior, and the reshuffle clearly impacted their performance.
Falkirk capitalised, pressing high and attacking with intent, but in the end, Celtic’s quality prevailed after Rodgers made four substitutions in the 70th minute.
The introduction of Arne Engels, Nicolas Kuhn, Hyunjun Yang, and Greg Taylor turned the game on its head, as they helped reverse a 2-1 deficit. However, Falkirk captain Coll Donaldson was relieved that one player in particular wasn’t called upon during the match.
Speaking on The Big Scottish Football Podcast, Donaldson admitted that the mere sight of Celtic’s talismanic striker Kyogo Furuhashi warming up was enough to give him concern.
“Well, Kyogo was still warming up. So Kyogo was the one that I was like, oh please, just didn’t bring him on,” he said. “Like he’s a nightmare, Kyogo, rapid, like a good finisher.”
Kyogo’s reputation as a quick and clinical forward clearly plays on the minds of opposition defenders.
At 29, the Japanese international has become a pivotal figure for Celtic, with his experience in Europe and his domestic trophy haul making him an influential presence both on and off the pitch.
Despite his absence against Falkirk, Kyogo’s role at the club remains crucial, as noted by Adam Idah, who has spoken about learning from the striker.
With Kyogo’s guidance, Idah appears more than capable of stepping up when needed. The fact that Celtic can win convincingly without their star striker is a testament to the squad’s depth and quality—a point that will be heartening for Rodgers as the season progresses.