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Ex Celtic ace breaks hearts of 3 Scottish Premiership stars

Japan overcame New Zealand in Tokyo and the All Whites had a trio of Scottish-based players - while the hosts had a familiar face on the scoresheet

Published: Monday, 5 October 2026 at 2:28 PM
Ex Celtic ace breaks hearts of 3 Scottish Premiership stars
Key Things to Know
  • Former Celtic star Daizen Maeda assisted the opening goal as Japan defeated New Zealand 2-1 in Tokyo.
  • The match featured three Scottish Premiership players: Kilmarnock's Stanger, Motherwell's Paulsen, and Dundee United's Randall.
  • Ayase Ueda and Ritsu Doan scored for Japan, while Ben Old found the net for New Zealand.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Former Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda helped lead Japan to a 2-1 victory over New Zealand at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Monday. Maeda set up Ayase Ueda for the opening goal before Ben Old equalized in the first half, followed by Ritsu Doan securing the winning goal for the hosts.

The defeat involved three Scottish Premiership players representing New Zealand: Kilmarnock defender Stanger, on-loan Motherwell goalkeeper Paulsen, and Dundee United winger Randall. The trio will now make the 5,750-mile journey back to Scotland to return to domestic league action this weekend.

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