Resurgent Hibs secure three points in Motherwell
Motherwell 0 – 3 Hibernian Hibernian earned a vital win away to Motherwell, leapfrogging Hearts and easing, albeit temporarily, pressure on manager David Gray. The visitors took advantage of some slackness saw a launched ball from Nicky Cadden float over Aston Oxborough who misread the its trajectory, as the ball was laid the ball into the path of Junior Hoilett who duly converted. Looking to avoid history repeating itself, Hibs sought a second to create a much needed buffer and they duly delivered when Motherwell’s defenders failed to clear the danger from a corner. Mykola Kuharevich took full advantage and doubled their lead. Motherwell had their best chance of the game but Jordan Smith tipped a shot over the crossbar. Not looking to sit back, Gray’s men continued to push on and Smith continued to look a changed man from the error strewn display against Aberdeen. His long ball again poorly dealt with by the home side allowed Josh Campbell to put the game out of reach for Stuart Kettlewell’s side. Despite coming away with nothing, Motherwell remain fifth. Line-Ups: Motherwell: A. Oxborough, K. Balmer (M. Ebiya 71′), L. Gordon, D. Casey, E.Wilson (S. Seddon 82′), A. Halliday (Z. Robinson 46′), D. Zdravkovski (H. Paton, 72′), M. Kaleta, L. Miller, T. Maswanhise, A. Stamatelopoulos (T. Watt 46′) Hibernian: J. Smith, J. Iredale, R. Bushiri, W. O’Hora, N. Cadden, J. Newell (Kwon Hyeok-Kyu 82′), N. Triantis, C. Cadden (L. Miller 89′), J. Hoilett (J. Campbell 69′), E. Youan (M. Boyle 82′), M. Kuharevich (D. Gayle 69′) Referee: Grant Irvine Attendance: 5,212
Celtic welcome giant killers Brugge in Champions League tie
Champions League: Celtic v Club Brugge Belgian side Club Brugge travel to Glasgow take on a Celtic team in red hot form. The hosts remain kings of Scotland, yet to a lose a game domestically and swatting closest rivals Aberdeen 6-0 in the League Cup. More impressive yet, is their marked improvement on the continental stage. Dominating an RB Leipzig side packed with some Europe’s most sought after talent was the statement win Brendan Rodgers’ had been asking for following their setback in Dortmund. Brugge similarly suffered at the hands of last year’s finalists before taking six points from a possible nine, including an impressive victory over Aston Villa. Sitting second in the Belgian Pro League, they are not quite steamrolling opposition in the same way Celtic have but a 7-0 win against Sint-Truiden at the weekend was perfect preparation for game sure to be see plenty of goals. Hosts must capitalise on home form By the reaction of the Leipzig players at full-time, it looked as though they couldn’t wait to get the first flight out of Glasgow. A sentiment no doubt shared by Slovan who were thumped 5-1 in their opening game of the campaign at Celtic Park. Always a step ahead of their opponents with quick combinations and looking as though they would not be troubled by adding an extra half hour onto the game, Nicolas Kuhn was the picked of the bunch as Celtic played the kind of football Rodgers’ knew was possible following their thumping in Dortmund. The manager will want to show that there is much more to come from his side both home and away. With only one point on the road so far as trips to Dinamo Zagreb and Aston Villa await, the East End side will need to take full advantage of home crowd if they are to give themselves every chance of progressing. Despite only one loss in four Celtic remain caught between two poles. Sitting only three points above the bottom tier isn’t much of a buffer, whilst a three goal margin could propel them into the automatic places. There are no easy games in the Champions League but perform tonight and the club could be on track to reach the knockout stages for the first time since 2013. Visitors no shrinking violets The hosts received a fair amount of acclaim for their Leipzig scalp but Club Brugge have an arguably more impressive one of their own after muzzling Aston Villa in a 1-0 victory. Tyrone Mings’ calamity stole headlines but the Belgians kept one the Premier League’s best sides goalless in a performance that deserved more than being a mere sideshow in the post-match analysis. Doing so with a squad in constant flux is not mean feat either. Brugge are side packed with young technical talent, the likes Hugo Vetlesen and Christos Tzolis sure to find a home among Europe’s elite soon. The developing crop are supported by veterans Simon Mignolet and a name familiar to Celtic fans in Dedryck Boyata, who spent four seasons at the club. Granted, they are missing the goalscoring threat of Igor Thiago, whose £30 million move to Brentford left big boots to fill but Tzolis’ four goals against Sint-Truden at the weekend makes him a fairly promising contender. With Sporting CP, Juventus and Manchester City still to come, Brugge will see tonight as their best opportunity to add one more scalp to their collection.
Hibs and Dons share spoils in six goal thriller
Hibernian 3 – Aberdeen 3 Three goals in added time saw Hibs snatch a draw with Aberdeen in their thrilling Easter Road encounter, easing some of the pressure on David Gray. The Edinburgh side looked to have put this season’s woes behind when captain Joe Newell snuck his side ahead before half-time. But as the second half wore on, Gray would surely not have batted an eyelid if it had been revealed that he was in fact stuck in Groundhog Day as he watched his players let a lead slip yet again. Substitute Shayden Morris’ repeated darts to the byline finally saw his poorly cleared cross finished by Jack McGrath. As the home side began to crack under the weight of expectation and fear of history repeating itself Nicky Devlin’s attacking forays were rewarded, pouncing on Jordan Smith’s howler after the keeper’s mis-hit punch allowed the ball to land fortuitously at his feet. As time ticked by, the home side looked short of any ideas whilst Aberdeen looked set to bounce back in perfect fashion following their first defeat of the season against St. Mirren. That was until Nick Cadden’s thunderous free-kick in added time proved impossible for Dimitar Mitov to reach, levelling the scores with only four minutes to go. Morris was on hand to leave Hibs fans with their heads in their hands, as he once again beat his man to lob the ball into the box before Ester Sokler’s stunning overhead kick seemed to have sealed matters in the 95th minute. The footballing Gods must surely have taken pity on Hibs for the first time this season, granting centre-back Rocky Bushiri the energy to charge up the park mere moments later and initiate a counter-attack that he subsequently finish for the sixth goal of the evening. Despite the leveller, Hibernian remain at the bottom of the table, winless since September. Thelin’s strength in depth Jimmy Thelin has gone two consecutive games without a win for the first time this season. It is almost worth bringing out the world’s smallest violin for a side that looks almost unrecognisable from last season’s basket case. Part of what has made the Dons such an impressive outfit though, is the way the manager has been able to get the best out of his fringe players. Nisbet, Morris and Sokler are just some of the squad who have had to content themselves with appearing on a rotational basis or, in Morris’ case, are trusted to make an immediate impact from the bench. Yet this evening, they played with the verve and commitment of a trio who have fully bought into Thelin’s plans. With six games scheduled in December alone, there will no period more crucial than the upcoming winter for those who are not regular starters to come to step into the spotlight. Judging by tonight’s efforts, they are more than ready. Hibs show fighting spirit If accusations of a soft underbelly have plagued Hibernian, tonight’s performance showed just as much as fight as any team this season. Traditionally, David Gray’s side have become accustomed to being dealt killer blows in added time. Now, he will hope they have got a taste for handing them out. To score not one, but two goals so late on is hardly indicative of a team that has given up and certain individuals, such as the monumental Bushiri, can take a fair bit of credit for an impressive comeback. Others, like Jordan Smith, less so. There seems to be nothing the manager can do to fix things during games, which are starting to look an awful lot like an exercise in constantly putting out small fires everywhere. Despite the fact that they were unable to hold on to their lead and overtake Hearts in the table, fans will take solace in the side’s determination tonight. Line-ups: Hibernian: Smith, Iredale (Boyle, 84′), Bushiri, O’Hora, Cadden, Newell, Triantis (Kwon Hyeok-Kyu, 75′), Miller, Hoilett (Campbell, 75′), Youan, Kuharevich (Gayle, 64′) Aberdeen: Mitov, MacKenzie, Molloy, Rubezic, Devlin (Milne, 83′), Heltne Nilsen, Shinnie, Duk (Sokler, 80), McGrath, Keskinen (Morris, 54′), Nisbet (Clarkson, 46′) Referee: Calum Scott Attendance: 15, 845
Celtic class above Hearts in capital win
Heart of Midlothian 1 – 4 Celtic Celtic applied the afterburners against Hearts to leave Tynecastle with a convincing win, moving three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership. In truth Neil Critchley’s side should have had something to show for their efforts in the first half but were sorely lacking a composed presence up front. Blair Spittal could only tamely fire at the keeper before Lawrence Shankland continued to look a shadow of his former self, sending a James Penrice cut-back wide. Having kept the tiring hosts out, Celtic took a hold of the game as Daniel Oyegoke’s poor clearance was deflected into Kygo Furuhashi’s feet, the Japanese forward finishing after Craig Gordon’s opening save. Brendan Rodgers’ men soon doubled their lead with Nikolas Kuhn firing home a second. Hearts were nearly back in when Anthony Ralston’s clearance hit the post and Shankland not making the most of another opportunity, instead teeing up Cameron Devlin, who could not guide the ball past the bodies in front. Adam Idah’s finish put the game to bed but the goals didn’t stop there, Musa Drammeh’s rocket from outside the box providing some consolation before Idah put home a penalty in added time to make sure Celtic had the final word on the night.
Dundee United pile further misery on Rangers with draw
Rangers 1 – 1 Dundee United Rangers title hopes now hang in the balance as Dundee United pushed the hosts to a draw, the Glasgow side now sit eleven points behind leaders Celtic. United made the home side look amateurish in their defending as Sam Dalby waltzed into the box unmarked to give his side the lead. Nedim Bajrami had tested Jack Walton with a curling shot as the keeper was forced into action on multiple occasions in the first half. Robin Propper thought he had equalised only for an earlier Connor Barron hand ball to see it chalked off. Philipe Clement turned to once forgotten men Ianis Hagi and Danilo to make an impact and was soon rewarded. Despite missing a clear cut chance the Brazilian provided an assist for Vaclav Cerny, the midfielder arguably Rangers’ brightest spark this season. Rangers were not able to get anymore out of the game and they now find themselves in a battle for third with their opponents tonight. A far cry from their title ambitions at the beginning of the season.
Gloomy night in Dundee ends in defeat for hapless Hibs
Dundee 4 – 1 Hibernian Dundee took full advantage of a Hibs red to card to fire home four unanswered goals, piling further misery onto a hapless David Gray. Jordan Obita’s low cross was met by Nicky Cadden as the hosts began the game by far the better side. Their momentum was stopped dead in its tracks when Obita’s reckless challenge on Mohamed Sylla was met with a straight red. Dundee soon made their extra man count McGhee breezed into the box to finish Robertson’s cross. Hibernian’s series of unfortunate events continued to unfold before the manager’s eyes as Nectarios Triantis put the ball into his own net following a relatively tame Dundee corner. Not long after, a poor touch from Josef Bursik under little pressure allowed Seb Palmer-Holden to stretch the lead. The hosts piled further misery onto the Edinburgh side when Curtis Main grabbed a fourth in added time. Hibernian remain rooted at the foot of the table after yet another defeat.
Killie fail to crack Saints
A glancing Makenzie Kirk header gave the Saints a much needed victory at McDiarmid Park. The result means Kilmarnock must now overcome a slump of their own if they are to fight their way back into the top six. Killie began the fixture looking like to home side but the Saints grew into the game quickly. Benjamin Kimpioka’s curling shot parried by Robby McCrorie was the closest either side would come to a goal in the first half. Joe Wright fired one for the visiting side from distance but it sailed over the bar. Danny Armstrong similarly unable to hit the target with a free kick of his own, the ball passing comfortably past Josh Rae’s left-hand side. David Watson’s thigh injury meant he was replaced by Fraser Murray at the break as manager Derek McInnes was hampered in his attempts to find an equaliser. The second half seemed to pick up where the first left off with few chances created. That was until Andre Raymond’s whipped cross was met by a fantastic header from Makenzie Kirk to open the scoring. St. Johnstone had lost their previous three games but you wouldn’t have guessed it judging by their performance, looking much improved with the ball at their feet as the game progressed. In something of a rarity, they also looked solid at the back. The fourteen corners they defended without conceding a marked improvement on weeks gone by. Meanwhile Killie’s struggles to find the target continued, Liam Donnelly firing yet another shot over the bar for the away side. His evening would soon go from bad to worse as a second yellow saw the midfielder leave his side a man short for the second time this season. Unable to crack the defence open, they make the trip home empty handed once again. Resolute Saints hold out The honeymoon had clearly ended for manager Simo Valakari but tonight’s result helped prevent disillusionment from rearing its head in Perth. Three defeats in a row did not spell the end of the world but the Saints had some questions to answer about their defensive solidity. With twenty-seven shipped in thirteen, they entered this fixture as the league’s leakiest backline. Fair to say an impressive display for only their second clean sheet of the season will have put some of those questions on the back-burner. A first start for Bozo Mikulic, Valakari’s first signing, saw him paired with Jack Sanders at the back. The duo keeping out Marley Watkins and Darius Vassell, no mean feat given the damage they’ve done to other teams this season. Difficult games against Rangers and Aberdeen await in the coming weeks but the display tonight will give the side now just three points off to top six a much needed boost. Killie yet to kick on A fifteen minute delay to kick-off was perhaps a bit of foreshadowing for the side still waiting to get their own season going. Finishing fourth represented a big achievement for the Ayrshire side last season but McInnes’ ambitions will not let him be satisfied with it being a once in a few years occasion. The European run had stunted their start to the campaign but a few months on and with the international breaks in between, tired legs have ceased to be an excuse. Now with three defeats on the trot, the manager will need to re-energise his side if they are to fight their way back into the top half, now sitting six points behind St. Mirren. As the game wore on it became difficult enough for them to score with eleven men, but Liam Donnelly’s second yellow made the task all the more difficult. It is the fifth time they have seen a man sent off this season. Speaking to SPFL News Now, McInnes’ acknowledged his frustrations with the performance of the officials but was quick to point that they had ‘not lost the game because the referee, I need to stress that’.
Preview – St. Johnstone vs Kilmarnock
Craig Levein picked up his only league win of the season the last time these sides met. Just over three months on from the 3-0 victory, Derek McInnes will hope to come away with the spoils and create some distance from the Perth club. We take a look at the biggest talking points from the sides separated by only two points. Killie waiting to kick into gear Six games without a win would have put most managers amongst the bookies’ favourites for the sack, but not Derek McInnes. It seems the man can do no wrong after guiding Kilmarnock into the European places last season, making Rugby Park into one of the league’s most difficult grounds to visit in the process. The subsequent play-off games as the side were knocked out the Europa and Conference Leagues proved to be too tiring for a squad that seemed to lack the depth to handle the congested fixture list. Results improved as the side recovered from tired legs, winning half their games since their exit, with Rangers another casualty of Killie’s giant-killing prowess. Unfortunately, their impressive fourth place finish last season means McInnes has become a victim of his own success. The bar has now been set and fans will expect a similar result come the end the season. In order to get anywhere near the upper echelons of the table again, they must find some consistency in their results. Defeats to Ross County and Dundee are not as easily forgiven as they once were and another to the Saints would be a further setback in Killie’s attempts to cement their place amongst the top sides. The manager’s job is by no means on the line, but will nonetheless be desperate to avoid being on the receiving end of another bloody nose. Saints must halt slow decline Simo Valakari will no doubt realise that attacking football is little comfort to fans if they find themselves looking at the drop. What started as the most promising kind of new manager bounce, with six points from nine (Rangers grabbing the difference), has turned into something of a mini-slump for the Saints. Three defeats on the trot have exposed the fault lines in the squad for all to see. A destructive attacking trio on their day, Benjamin Kimpioka, Nicky Clark and Adama Sidibeh have given new life to a squad that looked out of ideas only a couple of months ago. For all their promise going forward, St. Johnstone have failed to solve the conundrum that has plagued fellow strugglers Hibernian, how to prevent sides from cutting through them. With twenty-seven shipped this season, they are the league’s worst defensive unit. The poor form of Ross Sinclair and Josh Rae between the sticks has not helped matters either. If Valakari is impatiently counting down the days until he can make his first purchases to remedy the situation, he will need to keep one eye on the seven games before the window opens. Not making the most of the twenty-one points available could see them too far back for any signings to turn things around.
Warsaw magic as Scotland net late winner against Poland
Scotland gave themselves a fighting chance of remaining in the Nations League’s top tier as Andy Robertson’s header in added time condemned the Poles to relegation. It was a rope-a-dope contest from the off but the Scots landed to first blow as John McGinn’s finish, teed up by Ben Doak, gave his side the lead after only three minutes. There were enough permutations to keep even the sharpest producers in the commentators’ ears scrambling but Steve Clarke’s men needed take care of what was in front of them first. As the game wore on Poland showed no signs of letting do so as Jakub Kaminski and Adam Buksa continued to probe for an equaliser. Despite the continued pressure from the home side, it became clear that they were in desperate need of Robert Lewandowski, repeatedly spurning chances without testing the ageless Craig Gordon nearly as much as they should have. Scotland for their part, never settled for a one goal lead, knowing they would need at least another to give themselves the best possible chance of finishing second in the group. A result that would place them amongst the top seeds for the World Cup qualifiers. Not once, but twice did the Scots rattle the bar, Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay both coming tantalisingly close to edging their side towards the coveted spot. As the second-half bore on both sides began to tire, the end to end action and quick beginning to take its toll on the likes of Doak. With results going their way in Zagreb, Scotland needed to weather the storm but could little as Kamil Piatkowski landed a sucker punch near the hour mark, his thunderous shot from outside the box an impossible proposition for even the most talented keepers. Giving away a lead with the clock running down fast, Steve Clark had been here before. He watched from the sidelines as play maintained its frantic energy, very much at the expense of composure and accuracy. As the final bell approached, the Scots looked weary and out of ideas to prevent their descent into the second tier. That was until John Souttar launched a cross into the box met by a leaping Andy Robertson whose fourth ever goal for his country sent Poland onto the canvas and the Tartan Army into rapture. No top seed but Scots will take heart Whilst Croatia’s equaliser might have put paid to any chance of finishing second in the group and giving Clarke’s men an easier chance of qualification, there was plenty to shout about from the action in Warsaw. Craig Gordon’s inspired performances have made him a clear favourite for the jersey, even when Angus Gunn does make a return from injury. The only person challenging his place between the sticks will be Father Time as Gordon will be forty-three by the time 2026 rolls around. Meanwhile, fans will have been disappointed to see teen sensation Doak leave the field after just over an hour but the late goal shows the side have the tools to win games without relying on one player. Lightening the weight of expectations on his shoulders can only be beneficial to his career in the long run. Finally, Scotland have finally shown they can close out games. The horrors of Portugal, Poland and Croatia in the opening games of their Nations League campaign seemed to have condemned this generation to lack the mental fortitude to cut it at the level that befitted the players’ ability. The previous two victories have instead shown quite the opposite, their resilience giving them the opportunity to continue to test themselves against Europe’s best. They have momentum in the tank, they will now need every drop of it as play-offs potentially await.
Scots face battle to retain A-list status in Poland
Nations League – League A – Group 1 – Poland vs Scotland: 19:45 (Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw) With their 1-0 victory over Croatia on Friday night, Scotland’s winless hoodoo finally came to an end. It was a run that had seen the side fail to win their last eight games and was only their second victory in eighteen fixtures. That was all forgotten as they held out against a side, albeit reduced to ten men, featuring the likes of Luka Modric and Josko Gvardiol. Now, a second consecutive win could provide Scotland with the opportunity to right the wrongs of their previous major tournament outings and remain amongst the international a-listers. Doak in the spotlight John McGinn’s goal brought jubilation to the Hampden crowd but it was Ben Doak’s electric performance that has since dominated headlines. Much was made of the way the Middlesborough loanee turned an £80 million defender inside out, and quite rightly as Doak’s gradual introduction into the side has provided the spark Scotland have been missing in the past few years. Clarke however, was quick to remind people that there is room for improvement in his game and has even suggested that Poland might be a game too soon for such a young player. Despite attempts to keep the swirling expectations at bay, it seems unlikely that the manager would not turn to Doak for what could be an era defining ninety minutes in Warsaw. Significant ramifications What seemed an impossible dream only few nights ago now feels like a very distinct possibility as Scotland look to give themselves a platform to qualify for their first World Cup since 1998. Finishing second in Group 1 would give the side the coveted top seeding for the upcoming qualifiers. To do so, they will have to not only beat Poland tonight but hope Portugal can win whilst putting a dent in Croatia’s goal difference, which is two better than Scotland’s. Should results go their way, Steve Clarke’s men would also see themselves make their first ever Nations League quarter-finals. Anything but a win however, would see them relegated and heap the pressure back onto the man in dugout this evening. Poland not to be underestimated A quick scan of Poland’s recent performances will give the Tartan Army some much needed optimism. One win in their last eight including a 5-1 trouncing at the hands of Portugal have left the side looking bereft of confidence. Sitting three points and six goals behind Croatia, their hopes for the second spot are far more difficult, a problem exacerbated by the absence of talisman Robert Lewandowski. However, the Scots will not be quick to forget that their opponent’s sole victory since the Euros came courtesy of a 97th minute penalty at Hampden. Manager Michal Probierz and his side may be down, but they are certainly not out. Conway to be given second start? Fans of the national team are never short of an opinion when it comes to picking a line-up and a boisterous few were finally granted their wish when Tommy Conway was given his first start on Friday. Full of energy and always looking to press, Doak’s Middlesborough teammate made sure Croatia could never pass the ball around comfortably at the back. The striker was not given many opportunities to bring his goalscoring form to Hampden and was brought off for Lyndon Dykes in the second-half, but has given himself every opportunity to start again tonight. Lawrence Shankland’s rut makes him an unlikely candidate and Dykes has yet to score in League One. However, Clarke and supporters will be well aware of the physicality he offers and his hard work to bring other into the game. Scotland desperately need a win with as big a margin as possible, will he trust twenty-two year old Conway to deliver it?