REIMS, France (Kyodo) — Kyogo Furuhashi bagged a hat-trick before halftime to spark Celtic to a record-breaking 9-0 demolition of Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
The Japanese forward extended his scoring streak to four straight games for unbeaten league leaders Celtic, who also got a hat-trick from Israeli attacker Liel Abada in the club’s biggest ever away win in the league.
Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate was also in the Celtic starting lineup, while Samurai Blue forward Daizen Maeda came off the bench in the second half for former Yokohama F Marinos manager Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Furuhashi struck the opener in the 15th minute at Tannadice Park after Portuguese winger Jota squared the ball to him in the middle of the box.
He netted his brace in the 40th minute with a spectacular curling strike from outside the area, then made it 3-0 in first-half injury time, tapping in with an assist from Abada after the hosts failed to clear from a set piece.
“In the last few games I’ve stopped scoring after one goal, so to score three feels like I’ve stepped up a level,” said Furuhashi, who has six goals from five league games. “My teammates gave me good passes, so all I had to do was score.”
Hatate and Maeda assisted on Abada’s second and third goals, respectively, in the second half.
In the French top flight, Japanese winger Junya Ito opened his account for Reims, giving them an early lead in their 1-1 draw at home to Lyon.
Starting on the right of a two-man forward pairing, Ito leapt high to head home the 24th-minute opener off a cross from Maxime Busi.
Reims were reduced to 10 men when Dion Lopy was sent off in the 63rd minute and conceded an equalizer to Moussa Dembele in the 86th minute.
Ito, who scored 18 goals over the previous two seasons with Belgian side Genk, made the move to France this summer.
In other Ligue 1 action, Takumi Minamino came on in the 64th minute for Monaco, who drew 1-1 away to heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain.
In Germany, Daichi Kamada helped Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt notch their first win of the Bundesliga season, 4-3 against Werder Bremen.
The Japanese attacker assisted on Djibril Sow’s 48th-minute goal that put the visitors up 4-2 at the Weserstadion.
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