Reo Hatate keen to score at Hampden Park against St Johnstone

Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate is desperate to score his first Hampden Park goal in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against St Johnstone.

The Japanese has played at the national stadium nine times since his arrival in Scotland in 2022 but – despite being on the winning side in eight of those matches – has never found the net.

Hatate is eager to rectify that when Brendan Rodgers’ side step up their bid for a domestic treble this weekend.

“I’ve never scored a goal in Hampden Park, so I want to try to score a goal in the next game,” he told Celtic TV.

“I’ve got good memories at Hampden Park, so I want to win the next game.”

Hatate has enjoyed victory in each of his last eight Hampden outings since his first appearance there in April 2022 brought a 2-1 extra-time defeat by Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

Asked for his favourite memory at the national stadium, the 27-year-old pinpointed his most recent visit in December.

“I think the League Cup final from this season,” he said.

“We played against Rangers and it was 3-3. We went to penalties and it was a hard game. I played the full game, it was a tough game but we won the League Cup and it made me most happy.”

Celtic are 15 points clear at the top of the William Hill Premiership while Saints are five points adrift at the bottom.

But Hatate knows that gulf counted for little when the Perth side pulled off a shock 1-0 win over the champions-elect at McDiarmid Park earlier this month.

“I want to win the Scottish Cup, but we played against St Johnstone and lost to them in the last game in the league, so we have to work hard for the next game,” he said.