Doubt did not last long. The moment he seized the opportunity, Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic) once again proved his name. With a multi-goal performance he turned the momentum around. And he completed the team's victory.
Celtic beat Motherwell 3-1 in a home match in the 30th round of the 2025-2026 Scottish Premiership at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, on the 15th (Korea time). With 61 points secured, Celtic remained in second place and closed in on league leader Haatz (63 points). The title race is still hot.
At the center of the match was Yang Hyun-jun. Starting as a right-sided forward, he played the full time and scored two goals. The equalizer and the insurance goal. They were decisive moments that effectively changed the outcome.
The start was not good. Celtic fell behind early after Motherwell's opening goal. But the wobble did not last long. In the 38th minute of the first half, Yang Hyun-jun emerged as the solver. In a scramble in front of the goal he calmly finished to make it 1-1. It was a scene that highlighted an instinctive striker's positioning and composure.
And he put the full stop on the game. It was the 34th minute of the second half. Cutting into the center, Yang Hyun-jun broke through the defenders and with an accurate shot rippled the net. It was a scene where he created space himself and completed the finish. Celtic's third goal. It was the moment that effectively ended the match.
The evaluations were overwhelming as well. According to football statistics outlet 'Soccerway,' Yang Hyun-jun received the match-high rating of 9.0. It meant he was the standout player of the match.
With this multi-goal, he recorded his fifth and sixth league goals at the same time. It is a meaningful trend in his personal career as well. Now in his third season since joining Celtic, Yang Hyun-jun has already surpassed last season's tally of five league goals and two assists. As the season passes its midpoint, he is building a career-high pace.
Local reaction was hot as well. Manager Martin O'Neill mentioned Yang Hyun-jun first in his postgame interview. He said, "Yang Hyun-jun was fantastic today. He affected the whole match, not just the scoring," and noted, "His forward energy, attacking movements and even his contributions to defense were a great help to the team in every aspect."
Britain's BBC also focused on Yang Hyun-jun's performance. The outlet analyzed, "The view that Celtic could sell Yang Hyun-jun in the summer transfer window is increasingly losing credibility." It assessed that his recent performance has completely changed. Statistics especially back this up. From an expected goals (xG) of 3.82, Yang Hyun-jun has produced six goals, showing excellent finishing. Among players with more than 20 shots in the league, he has the highest goal efficiency.
Those figures are higher than Nigrén, Çömüti, Aberdeen's Kevin Nisbet and Falkirk's Vanny Stewart. It is an indicator proving influence beyond simple scoring. The situation was different at the start of the season. During the summer transfer window he was classified as surplus to requirements and was linked with a move to Birmingham City. His playing opportunities were limited. But the flow completely changed around winter.
Six league goals since Christmas. Yang Hyun-jun has now become an important card in Celtic's attack. BBC shared the same view. The outlet said, "O'Neill is likely to continue using Yang Hyun-jun at Celtic, which is continuing its title challenge," and predicted, "If performances like the one against Motherwell continue, he will play an important role in Celtic's title race."
[OSEN]