CELTIC 1 HIBS 2
TEN-MAN Celtic, with Auston Trusty red-carded, were hit by a suckerpunch from Hibs that leaves their hopes of a fifth successive title in jeopardy.
This was a must-win encounter for Martin O’Neill’s champions, but for the second time in three days they failed to deliver at home in extremely disappointing circumstances.
The dismissal of Trusty in the 74th minute, with the score tied at 1-1, derailed the hosts and offered energy to the Edinburgh club.
As the rain poured down at Parkhead, the Hoops toppled to defeat – O’Neill’s first league loss in the east end of Glasgow since Hibs won 3-1 at the venue in April 2005.
The setback leaves Celtic six points behind Hearts and two adrift of Rangers, with a game in hand on both. The Ibrox side dropped two points at Livingston in a 2-2 draw. The rock-bottom side were leading by two goals before they had a player sent off.
The hosts started in a positive fashion and a quickfire move between Yang Hyun-jun and Tomas Cvancara set up an opening for Benjamin Nygren, but, unfortunately, the Swede’s first touch was heavy and the chance was gone.
In the 15th minute, Liam Scales sent a raking pass to send Yang racing clear into the box, but the South Korean miscontrolled the ball before stabbing an effort into the grateful arms of Raphael Sallinger.
SWEDE DREAMS…Benjamin Nygren celebrates another Celtic goal.
There was a half-hearted appeal for a penalty-kick five minutes later when a pass from Kieran Tierney found Tomas Cvancara with his back to goal eight yards out.
Rocky Bashira tussled with the Czech Republic striker and both players ended in a heap, but referee Matthew MacDermid wasn’t interested.
The Hoops paid a heavy price when Yang lost possession and Hibs stormed forward to take the lead in the 24th minute after a lightning break on the left.
Nicky Cadden fired over a ball to the back post and Sebastian Tounekti switched off to allow Felix Passlack to nick in front of him to thump a header into the inviting net.
And only a superb save from Kasper Schmeichel prevented the visitors from doubling their lead only moments later.
Martin Boyle was left with just the keeper to beat, but the Dane kept his composure and blocked the close-range attempt.
At the other end, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain thumped a first-timer over the bar from the edge of the box and then Yang came close with a header following a cross from Tierney.
In the 39th minute, it was Cvancara’s turn to miss the target with a header as he glanced another delivery from Tierney wide of the far post.
Three minutes later, the towering frontman blew a great chance just eight yards from goal. Yang set him up with a low ball from the right, but the on-loan attacker was horribly off target with a half-hit attempt as Hibs’ defenders blew a massive sigh of relief.
He should have burst the net.
But the champions did get get their reward on the stroke of half-time and once again Tierney fashioned the opening with yet another cross from the left.
It was missed by Cvancara and a defender at the near post and carried on to the lurking Nygren who pounced to head the ball past the stranded Sallinger.
It was a typical opportunistic strike from the prolific Swede and just what the team needed with the interval approaching.
Three minutes after the turnaround, Nygren thumped in a ferocious 25-yard drive that was punched away by the sprawling Sallinger as the champions looked to get the second period off to a bang.
Julian Araujo fought to overcome two challenges wide on the right before pitching a pass forward to Cvancara, but, once again, the forward failed to control the ball and the move broke down.
On the hour mark, the on-loan Borussia Monchengladbach forward was replaced by Daizen Maeda at the same time the tiring Oxlade-Chamberlain made way for Reo Hatate.
Six minutes later, Nygren and Yang combined in the box with the winger whipping a shot at goal, but Bashira threw out a right leg to divert the danger.
On the 70th-minute mark, Marcelo Saracchi and James Forrest were introduced with Tierney and Yang making way.
Moments later, the Hoops were hit by a red card when Auston Trusty and Jamie McGrath came together as they lined up for a right-wing corner-kick. The Celt was held and pushed his opponent.
Referee MacDermid was summoned to have another look on the touchline monitor and, remarkably returned to dismiss the American international defender, presumably for violent conduct. That being the case, look out for an avalanche of red cards in the run-in to the season. It was a ludicrous decison.
HOLD ON…Liam Scales is grabbed by Hibs defender Jack Iredale, but referee Matthew MacDermid and VAR official see nothing wrong.
And then the Hoops were denied a penalty-kick after Liam Scales had been clearly held by defender Jack Iredale as he attempted to make contact with another set-play.
Astoundingly, VAR, with Grant Irvine at the controls, saw nothing wrong with the Hibs player’s actions on the Celt/
Boos rang round the ground with the fans displaying their displeasure at the match officials. Too many decisions were going against the hosts in a frustrating display.
In the 76th minute, the Hoops replaced Tounekti with debutant Benjamin Arthur as Martin O’Neill teamed up the on-loan Brentford central defender with Scales.
In the 87th minute, 10-man Celts capitulated when Hibs broke forward in devastating fashion when Kai Andrews was allowed a clear shot at goal and swept a low drive past Schmeichel for a second for the visitors.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Araujo, Trusty, Scales, Tierney (sub: Saracchi 70); Nygren, McGregor, Oxlade-Chamberlain (sub: Hatate 60); Yang (sub: Forrest 76), Cvancara (sub: Maeda 60), Tounekti (sub: Arthur 76).
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