CELTIC 2 HIBS 0
RESOLUTE Celtic refused to be knocked out of their stride as goals from Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah overcame a committed Hibs side to fire the holders into tomorrow night’s Scottish Cup semi-final draw.
Brendan Rodgers’ men showed what they could do without the intervention of blundering VAR officials as they put an end to the Easter Road club’s unbeaten run and their challenge for a place in the last four.
The Hoops’ superiority is not reflected in the final scoreline after a largely one-sided confrontation in which Maeda could have scored FOUR and Yang Hyun-jun should also have tucked away a fairly simple chance.
After the Japanese ace had claimed his 27th strike of a prolific campaign six minutes from the interval, the home fans had to wait until two minutes into stoppage-time with a goal from substitute Idah to make certain with the clincher.
Celtic now go into the ballot alongside Hearts, Aberdeen and the winners of tomorrow’s tie between Livingston and St Johnstone.
There could be treble ahead for Brendan’s Bhoys!
It took the Hoops 39 minutes of battering the Hibs rearguard before they deservedly hit the breakthrough goal. And no one was surprised it was claimed by Maeda.
Reo Hatate got the ball rolling to Jeffrey Schlupp in the visitors’ penalty area and the impressive loan Bhoy whipped over an inviting low cross from the left.
HOOP HOOP HOORAY… Daizen Maeda celebrates another goal.
Nicolas Kuhn timed his run to perfection to snap onto the opportunity and drill in a low shot from 10 yards. Jordan Smith denied the German winger as he desperately clawed the effort off the line.
However, the ball flicked up into the air and, as anticipated, turbo-heeled Maeda was the first to react as he followed up to thump the crucial opener into the net from two yards.
It was a just reward for the trophy holders who had pummelled the Edinburgh side’s defensive barriers right from the off.
In the fourth minute, Kuhn set up Callum McGregor on the edge of the box and the skipper whipped in a vicious low drive that was zeroing in at the keeper’s left-hand corner of the net.
However, Smith displayed lightning reflexes as he got down to turn the ball for a corner-kick.
There was a flashpoint incident in the 18th minute when the visitors took a quick shy well in advance of the location of Cameron Carter-Vickers’ clearance.
THREE CHEERS…Arne Engels and Cameron Carter-Vickers congratulate Adam Idah after Celtic’s second goal against battling Hibs.
Referee Nick Walsh took no action although images later proved the Celtic argument and Kasper Schmeichel; was forced into a brilliant one-handed stop at his right-hand post as Kieron Bowie hammered in an angled drive.
The Great Dane repelled the danger, but was clearly unhappy at the match officials for allowing the opponents to come so close to a goal from a clearly illegal throw-in.
Two minutes before his barrier-breaking strike, Maeda missed a wonderful opportunity after being set free with an excellent through pass from Hatate, but, from just 12 yards, he blazed the ball wildly over the bar.
Thankfully, he made amends with his opportunist’s effort to wreck the game plan of the visitors.
We were only eight minutes into the second-half when Jota treated the fans to some vintage wing play as he sped past the clumsy challenge of Lewis Miller on the left touchline, dodged another tackle and zipped in a shot from an angle.
Unfortunately, it was just too close to Smith who managed to parry the ball to safety.
In the 61st minute, Maeda passed up the perfect opportunity to give his team some breathing space when he missed from practically under the crossbar.
Kuhn and Alistair Johnston combined on the right to create the opportunity and the Canadian defender set it up for Maeda at the far post.
Amazingly, the pacy raider somehow managed to hit the ball wide with the net gaping.
Five minutes later, Schlupp, latching onto a pass from McGregor, turned inside before lashing a right-foot drive from 18 yards past the left-hand upright with Smith helpless.
In the 76th minute, Rodgers made his first changes as he withdrew McGregor and Jota and put on Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-jun.
Nine minutes later, Idah came on for Kuhn as Maeda moved to the left and Yang to the right.
The South Korean then passed up a glorious opportunity to hit the second goal when he scooped a pass from Maeda wide of the post with just the keeper to beat.
But Hibs’ luck ran out two minutes into stoppage-time when at last the hosts killed off the game as a contest.
McCowan combined with Yang to do some great work on the right before hitting the byline and whipping over a low cross to the near post.
PICK IT OUT…Adam Idah clips No,2 past Jordan Smith.
Idah’s timing could not be faulted as he arrived to get the all-important touch to send the ball spiralling past the overworked Smith.
In the fading moments, the heroic Hibs netminder foiled an angled drive from McCowan and got the crucial touch when it looked as though Maeda must add to the scoreline.
In the end, it’s Hampden here we come!
Celtic were not to be denied on this occasion.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Schlupp; Engels, McGregor (sub: McCowan 76), Hatate; Kuhn (sub: Idah 85), Maeda, Jota (sub: Yang 76).
