Celtic put Thursday’s wrongs right with a 2-1 win away to Hibs. The match got off to a fast start with two goals in the opening five minutes, but Camilo Durán’s strike on the cusp of half-time was enough to take all three points back to Glasgow and leave Marink Reedijk with his third Hibs loss in as many games.
Much has been made this past week of Hibs’ captaincy in recent weeks, with Felix Passlack taking the armband under Marink Reedijk despite vice-captain Martin Boyle still being available. The Australian winger dropped out during the warm-ups, being replaced by club captain Joe Newell, but Reedijk’s intent may still be signalled with Passlack continuing to lead the team out.
Hibs looked to set the tone through Jamie McGrath early on, winning a corner in the opening minute. They’d continue the pressure and bright start as Owen Elding was played through on goal thanks to a quick-free-kick from Joe Newell. The Irish international made no mistake, putting Hibs 1-0 up in the third minute with a tidy finish into the far corner.
Celtic aimed for a quick response as Callum McGregor forced Raphael Sallinger into a low save from outside the area a minute later. They’d have their equaliser shortly after as Jason Kerr headed the ball into his own net from Celtic’s next corner.
Martin O’Neil’s side looked to take the lead inside fourteen minutes as record signing Kasper Høgh had a point-blank chance saved by Sallinger. The Dane arrived for a rumoured £11,000,000 this summer and his hat-trick against Kilmarnock in August remains his only goals for the club.
The match was then devoid of any big chances for large portions of the first-half as the high winds provided Hibs’ best chance from a cross whilst Celtic struggled to break down a tough Hibs back line. Elding would have an opportunity to double his tally shortly before the break as Passlack intercepted a loose Celtic pass to carry the ball forward and find the Hibs #7, but the half-chance was blocked as Elding took the ball on the turn.
Josh Mulligan would look to carry the ball through on goal moments later, but the gap in Celtic’s defence was patched up by Colby Donovan who was on hand to tackle the Hibs midfielder.
The hosts would go agonisingly close to going into half-time leaders. Jason Kerr found Thibault Klidjé from an exceptional free-kick, the winger would beat Donovan to the ball but his dinked effort was narrowly over the bar.
It would however be Celtic to put Celtic ahead before the break as Camilo Durán’s left-foot finish left Sallinger with no chance and Hibs regretting Klidjé’s miss.
Celtic started the second-half strong, going close to a third as Mika Baur’s long range effort was parried by Sallinger for a corner.
Alastair Johnston entered the pitch early in the second-half, making just his third appearance of the season as the right-back continues to struggle with injuries. Moments before, Joe Newell had a chance following set piece, but the ball fell to his unfavored right foot and his effort was blocked.
The match and the atmosphere fell largely quite flat for the start of the second period, the Easter Road crowd only animated when Sallinger was prevented from taking a quick goal kick with Haissem Hassan lying on the deck. Hassan would go for goal moments later, cutting in on his left foot from outside the area, but his shot whipped wide of the Hibs net.
Alastair Johnston’s return was cut short after 20 minutes after another injury. The Canadian was replaced by Cameron Carter-Vickers, with Dane Murray shifting to right-back.
Benjamin Nygren would carve out a chance 10 minutes from time, finding space to shoot from just outside the box, but the midfielder’s effort was deflected for a corner.
Marink Reedijk’s last roll of the dice was to sub off Miguel Chaiwa and sub on Grant Hanley up front, much to the confusion of the Easter Road crowd. The defender would become a nuisance for the Celtic back line too, nearly latching onto a cross immediately after coming on.
Josh Mulligan nearly had things all-square as a loose ball fell to the midfielder in the box. A first-time, left footed effort was however blocked by the Celtic defence. Rabbi Matondo would then make his way into the Celtic box and have an effort blocked as Hibs turned up the tempo, looking to rescue a late point.
Celtic would then have half-chances through Hassan and Shim Mhueka.
Rabbi Matondo had an effort just before the whistle as Elding knocked the ball down for the Welshman, but his effort was wide of the mark. The whistle sounded shortly after with Celtic remaining on top of the table. Hibs currently sit at the foot of the league.
Line-ups:
Hibernian: Sallinger, Passlack (C), Kerr (OG, 5′), Ivezić, Mayor, Newell (Abdulai, 76′), Mulligan, Chaiwa (Hanley, 82′), Elding (Goal, 3′), McGrath (Šuto, 67′), Klidjé (Matondo, 67′)
Substitutes: Smith, Hanley, Williams, Iredale, Cadden, Šuto, Matondo, Abdulai, Bruce
Celtic: Johnstone, Donovan (Johnston, 52′, Carter-Vickers, 72′), Murray, Scales, Tierney, McGregor (C), Baur, Nygren, Durán (Goal, 43′, Mhueka, 72′), Osmand (Jota, 63′), Høgh (Hassan, 63′)
Substitutes: Sinisalo, Johnston, Jota, Sørensen, Carter-Vickers, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hassan, Mheuka, Forrest
Referees: Ryan Lee, Chris Rae, Scott Anderson, Ian Snedden Nick Walsh (VAR), Duncan Williams (VAR)
