Rangers loanee Findlay Curtis fully embraced the moment after Kilmarnock doubled their lead against Celtic at Rugby Park.
The young Ibrox prospect joined Killie during the winter transfer window in search of regular minutes and has already made a strong impression under Neil McCann. After troubling Celtic throughout the Premiership encounter, Curtis was well placed to see teammate Joe Hugill guide a header beyond Kasper Schmeichel.
Hugill’s effort followed Tyreece John-Jules’ earlier opener, leaving Martin O’Neill’s side with serious questions to answer. As the ball crossed the line, Curtis celebrated directly in front of the travelling Celtic support.
The 19 year old had followed the header in, anticipating any rebound if Schmeichel managed to keep it out. When the ball trickled over the line, Curtis marked the moment with an animated fist bump, clearly enjoying the occasion as the Sky Sports cameras captured the reaction.
Earlier in the week, McCann had spoken positively about the youngster, emphasising the faith he has in him. Following Kilmarnock’s 4-2 win over St Mirren, the manager explained his decision to select Curtis.
“I could have gone with other boys in that position, but I wanted to play Fin because I trust him when it comes to getting forward,” McCann said. “Based on how St Mirren were set up, they did not have a winger directly against him, so I felt he could get into good areas.”
McCann acknowledged that Curtis was operating in an unfamiliar role but praised his overall contribution. “I thought he did really well considering it is not his natural position. He defended strongly, tracked back, and made blocks. He is fit and quick enough to get up the pitch, so he has definitely given me something to think about.”