Daizen Maeda brace sees Celtic move level on points with Hearts at top of table

Daizen Maeda drove Celtic to a 3-1 victory against Falkirk as the champions moved level on points with William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts.

The Japan international scored twice and set up another as Martin O’Neill’s side overcame a tough test.

Maeda charged down a clearance from Keelan Adams before drilling the ball past the stranded Nicky Hogarth to give Celtic the lead in the 30th minute.

The Japan international then won the ball back before setting up Kieran Tierney to double the lead a minute before half-time.

Celtic had come under a period of sustained pressure prior to the opener and Falkirk got themselves back in the game in the when substitute Kyrell Wilson produced a brilliant finish in the 70th minute.

But Maeda restored the two-goal cushion when he slotted home in the 83rd minute from Sebastian Tounekti’s low cross.

Maeda had sent Celtic on their way to the Scottish Cup final last weekend by charging down a clearance from St Mirren goalkeeper Ryan Mullen and he again showed the value of his work ethic in the centre-forward role.

The recently-reinstated Green Brigade invoked the “spirit of 86” before the game with a huge replica of the away strip Celtic wore when beating St Mirren 5-0 to pip Hearts to the title on goal difference 40 years ago.

This Celtic team are some way off the free-flowing football of Davie Hay’s side, who won their final eight league games that season.

Goal difference is unlikely to be their saviour this year. Celtic are four goals worse off than Hearts, who play Hibernian at Easter Road on Saturday, and nine off Rangers, who are a point off the top ahead of their home match with Motherwell.

But with three consecutive wins behind them, Celtic will give themselves a big chance if they can grind out another four and the home fans delivered the vocal support which could be crucial in home games against their two title rivals.

O’Neill handed James Forrest his first start since November while Falkirk had Hogarth and defenders Keelan Adams and Lewis Neilson in for the injured Scott Bain, Liam Henderson and Filip Lissah.

Celtic had the better of the opening stages without seriously threatening and they had a let off after some slack play allowed Brad Spencer to unleash a volley which Viljami Sinisalo pushed wide.

Leon McCann and Dylan Tait drove efforts off target for the visitors before Hogarth saved well from Anthony Ralston’s long-range effort.

Maeda opened the scoring from 30 yards and hit an ambitious strike straight at Hogarth from similar range after winning the ball back straight from the restart.

Falkirk twice came close to an equaliser when Calvin Miller volleyed just wide and Tait headed off target from Spencer’s cross.

But Maeda’s pressing again paid off when he dispossessed Ben Broggio before setting up Tierney to finish off the underside of the bar from 15 yards.

Yang Hyun-jun had a goal disallowed for offside before Wilson lashed the ball into the top corner from McCann’s deep cross.

O’Neill sent on Alistair Johnston for his first game since aggravating a hamstring injury in October and Hogarth stopped Benjamin Nygren’s free-kick and a Liam Scales header before Maeda struck again.

The Japan international missed a great chance for his hat-trick in the closing stages.