Daizen Maeda will be joining three Celtic teammates in the last 16 of the World Cup after Japan's stunning win over Spain - as every Parkhead star selected progresses from the group stage.
It's been a great tournament for the SPFL representatives so far with Australia, littered with Premiership stars of past and present, making history by qualifying for the knockout stages. That includes Aaron Mooy, who qualifies in a squad that contains three players from Hearts, Dundee United's Aziz Behich and St Mirren's Keanu Baccus while Hibs' Martin Boyle withdrew with injury.
Croatia also qualified with Josip Juranovic and Rangers' Borna Barisic going through as did the USA, with Cameron Carter-Vickers playing a key role in their decisive win over Iran. Japan then continued their stunning campaign by beating Spain to top Group E - sending Germany out - with Maeda starting the historic victory for Hajime Moriyasu's team.
Maeda joined in the wild celebrations as Japan qualified from a group few gave them any chance in, beating two of the top sides in Germany and Spain to cruise through. They'll face Croatia in the next round.
The win also means that all four teams with Celtic stars have qualified - completing a clean sweep for Ange Postecoglou's team in Qatar. The Parkead four will join six other SPFL players as ten of the 13 selected will play on, with injured Boyle, Canada's David Wotherspoon and Wales' Dylan Levitt the three no longer taking an active part.
READ NEXT
