Celtic put in a commanding performance to weather a tricky Hibs side, closing the gap on Hearts to just two points on Sunday afternoon. A quick-fire double from Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels in the first half overcome Martin Boyle’s composed second-half penalty to extend Martin O’Neill’s successful interim tenure. Oli Hampson reports.
David Gray made three changes from Hibs’s midweek defeat to Motherwell, with Jordan Obita and Warren O’Hora replacing Jack Iredale and the suspended Grant Hanley. Miguel Chaiwa was also favoured in place of Daniel Barlaser. The Hibees remained in a 3-4-1-2 formation.
Celtic opted for minimal changes following their impressive away win at Feyenoord on Thursday night, changing from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 with Marcelo Saracchi replacing Kieran Tierney as the only change.
First Half
Just under 18,500 fans were packed into Easter Road at kick-off, with both fans in fine voice upon kick-off. Hibs retained the bulk of the opening pressure, with Martin Boyle missing a big chance from about 5 yards out, ringing alarm bells for the away side.
Celtic laid a statement of intent down just 10 minutes in after Daizen Maeda tapped into an empty net from Yang’s cutback, however the offside flag was quickly up to deny a lead.
The pressure from O’Neill’s side soon brought fruition when Celtic took the lead 27 minutes into the half. Sallinger’s poor pass out meant Miguel Chaiwa slipped during the recovery, allowing Reo Hatate an easy route into the box to square for Maeda for a tap in, and 0-1.
Hibs were barely given time to breathe before Celtic found a second goal just one minute later. A wonderful run from Marcelo Saracchi through the middle of the pitch gave Hyunjun Yang a chance to loop a ball into the box, and Arne Engels was there to head beyond Sallinger’s palms for 0-2 despite taking a foot to the face.
Bookings came thick and fast in the opening 45. Colby Donovan picked up an earlier booking for a foul on Obita for Celtic, and Hibs found Chaiwa and Jamie McGrath in the books for earlier bad challenges.
Hibs were forced into an early sub after Nicky Cadden’s afternoon was cut short by injury, allowing Jack Iredale a chance to turn things around.
Celtic nearly had a third on the stroke of half time, with Marcelo Saracchi striking an effort off the post following Maeda’s tee.
The whistle went for half time with the away side looking much the more comfortable side in the opening 45. Hibs failed to get out of first gear, left ruing over Boyle’s missed chance at the very beginning.
Second Half
Celtic made one substitute during the half, with Anthony Ralston coming on to replace the cautioned Colby Donovan.
Hope was bleak for Hibs after their drop in momentum from the opening 10 minutes, but an opportunity came their way through a penalty after Liam Scales was deemed to have handled the ball following a VAR check. Martin Boyle stepped up and sent it low to Schmeichel’s left to half the deficit.
Amidst the red mist of the penalty incident, bookings were handed out to either sides. Liam Scales and Kasper Schmeichel earnt a yellow card for protests, whereas Jordan Obita was booked for an altercation with the Danish keeper.
Celtic looked nervy straight after the goal, with Obita threatening the away side with dangerous crosses just beyond the reach of any Hibs player.
Subs were made on the hour mark for both teams. Marcelo Saracchi and Luke McCowan made way for Kieran Tierney and Benjamin Nygren for Celtic, whereas Hibs brought the carded Jordan Obita off for Josh Campbell.
Both teams seemed to lack any real conviction for the bulk of the second half. They opted to roll the dice once more with substitutes, as Paulo Bernardo replaced Reo Hatate for Celtic. Hibs chose a triple substitution with Barlaser, Youan and Newell replacing Chaiwa, Boyle and Mulligan.
Hibs looked to sneak another chance in when Kieron Bowie tested Schmeichel’s reflexes from close range, however (in the theme of the afternoon), it was offside.
Celtic made the final sub of the game as Sebastian Tounekti replaced Hyunjun Yang.
Hib’s best and final chance of the game came in the 85th minute when Chris Cadden had a shooting opportunity about 10 yards from goal, however Schmeichel’s left leg denied Hibs an equaliser with a brilliant low save.
Full Time
The full-time whistle eventually went as Celtic could now breathe, with all three points coming to Glasgow after a battling performance against a Hibs side who wouldn’t lie down and take it. The result sees Hibs’s neighbours Hearts getting tense once more as Celtic move within two points of the Jambos, still having a game in hand against Dundee Utd.
Hibs next play against Falkirk at Easter Road on Saturday, whereas Celtic host Dundee in midweek action on Wednesday night.
David Gray- Post Match
“The frustration probably comes from the fact that you’d given Celtic a two-goal start which was in quick succession after a real positive start”.
“I think Celtic were in an ascendancy, and we got a little bit spooked by that, but then in the second half I felt it was a good reaction again”.
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Josh Mulligan- Post Match
“The way we started the game was really positive. We were on the front foot and then we lose the ball from a mistake, you can’t give up two goals in the way we did”.
“We’ve got a big game next week and we’re all looking forward for that. It’s been hard but that’s football, you’re not going to be winning every week”.
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Martin O’Neill- Post Match
“I thought probably the game went the way I thought it might do where we’ll lose energy in the second half. We played some great stuff in the first half. Some lovely moves. Second half Hibs come roaring back and we’re on the back foot, but we dug it out and that’s the most important thing”.
“I genuinely thought this was my last game. What worried me was coming here and failing here, but the players and backroom staff have been terrific for me. I’m delighted to have got the opportunity”.
Callum McGregor- Post Match
“You always target these games as ones you want to win. They can be competitive games so if you can come through them and be strong, win the game, it really gives you confidence”.
“Quite often we come here on the back of a European game so we struggled to get to grips with the start of the game. But once we got to grips with it and started playing football, I thought we played really, really well”.
