Egypt international Haitham Hassan registered his first goal contribution for Celtic as the Scottish champions defeated St Johnstone in a rearranged Scottish Premiership fixture.
The 24-year-old played a decisive role in the only goal of the match, setting up Germany’s Mika Boer in the 52nd minute to secure three points for Celtic.
Hassan produced the key moment inside the St Johnstone penalty area when he beat an opposing defender before sending a low cross across the box.
Boer was able to meet the delivery and finish into an unguarded net, giving Celtic the lead and ultimately securing victory.
The assist represents Hassan’s first goal contribution since joining Celtic and provides an important milestone in his early spell with the Scottish club.
Hassan continued on the pitch until the 73rd minute, when he was replaced by Duran. His contribution had already helped Celtic maintain their strong position at the top of the league.
The victory moved Celtic to 18 points from their opening matches, leaving them five points clear of closest challengers Rangers.
Hassan makes impact in Celtic attack
Although he did not find the net himself, Hassan was heavily involved in Celtic’s attacking play against St Johnstone.
His performance earned him a rating of 7.5 out of 10 from global football statistics platform Sofascore.
The Egyptian touched the ball 53 times during his time on the pitch and completed two successful dribbles from five attempts.
He also drew two fouls from St Johnstone players, underlining the difficulty opponents had in dealing with his movement and attacking approach.
However, Hassan was dispossessed on 15 occasions as he looked to create opportunities for Celtic.
His contribution was not limited to creating the winning goal. The winger registered two shots on target and created a clear scoring opportunity for his team.
He also produced two key passes, giving Celtic additional attacking options as they looked to break down St Johnstone’s defence.
The Egyptian also contributed defensively, recording two defensive actions and winning four of his nine ground duels.
The performance therefore reflected a player involved in several aspects of Celtic’s game, with his assist ultimately proving the difference between the two sides.
First Celtic contribution arrives after six appearances
Hassan has now featured in six matches for Celtic across all competitions since joining the club.
Across those appearances, he has accumulated 310 minutes of playing time.
The assist against St Johnstone was his first direct contribution to a Celtic goal, marking a significant step in his adaptation to Scottish football.
His involvement in the winning goal will also provide a boost as Celtic continue their league campaign from the top of the table.
The result leaves Celtic on 18 points, five ahead of Rangers, giving the club an early advantage in the Scottish Premiership standings.
For Hassan, the performance offers evidence of the attacking qualities Celtic hoped he would bring to the team.
His ability to beat a defender and deliver a low cross created the opening for Boer to finish, while his two shots, key passes and attacking movements added to his overall contribution.
With six appearances now under his belt, Hassan will hope his first assist can be the start of a more productive spell in a Celtic shirt.
For Celtic, the immediate priority will be maintaining their advantage at the top of the table, with Hassan now having made his first significant contribution to that effort.
