HIBS 0 CELTIC 2
CALLUM McGREGOR played a captain’s part with an inspirational second goal to point the champions in the direction of a well-deserved triumph at Easter Road this afternoon.
This has been a dodgy fixture in the past, but the influential middle-of-the-park operator and his team-mates took control throughout the opening period to make certain there was no sign of a banana skin in the capital.
McGregor sizzled in an unsaveable effort to double the Hoops’ advantage after Nicolas Kuhn’s early strike to get the ball rolling.
SALUTE FROM A CHAMPION…Callum McGregor acknowledges the fans after his wonder strike.
The game was virtually over as a contest at the interval with the champions coasting with a two-goal advantage in a one-sided encounter.
It could have been worse for the overrun hosts with the Hoops also hitting the woodwork, Kyogo Furuhashi missing one he really should have put away and Matt O’Riley out of luck by a matter of a few inches with a crafty effort that swept just off target with new keeper Joe Bursik stranded.
The Edinburgh club just couldn’t cope with a tidal wave of yellow and Kasper Schmeichel could have caught up with his Sunday reading with his team-mates practically camped in the home side’s half.
It took the visitors just three minutes to take the lead and it was the sign of things to come.
A delicate ball forward by Kuhn saw Kyogo scampering away at high speed as the Hibs defenders were left in his slipstream.
The Japanese hitman carried the ball into the danger zone before unleashing a low shot from outside the box. Bursik got down swiftly to push the ball to his right.
THE OPENER…James Forrest sets up Nicolas Kuhn for Celtic’s first goal in the third minute with keeper Joe Bursik and his defence left helpless.
James Forrest read the play to perfection and snapped onto the rebound. He whipped the ball over from the left and Kuhn, who had started the move, was all alone smack in front of goal to first-time his effort over the line.
Josh Campbell and Joe Newell were both booked in the opening eight minutes for rash challenges on Kyogo and Kuhn respectively as the hosts tried to clear their heads.
They escaped in the 18th minute when Kyogo intercepted a loose passback from Lewis Miller and raced into the box. It looked as though the hitman was about to claim his first away league goal since October, but he waywardly hit his shot wide of the far upright with the keeper exposed.
A minute later, though, and the champions were celebrating a second goal, a screamer from onfield leader McGregor that almost took the net away.
O’Riley picked out Kuhn on the right and the German switched the ball inside to his skipper. He took it in his stride, pushed forward purposefully before unleashing a 30-yard piledriver high past Bursik into his top right-hand corner of the net.
It was a goal from the instant it left the captain’s left boot.
CRACKERMAC…skipper Callum McGregor is congratulated by team-mates Cameron Carter-Vickers, Greg Taylor and Liam Scales after firing in Celtic’s second goal.
Hibs were under the cosh and got out of jail in the 21st minute when under-pressure Warren O’Hora diverted an Alistair Johnston cross over the head of his own keeper, but the ball clattered the crossbar and bounced to safety.
The tempo dipped noticeably after the break, but, to be fair, Hibs were clearly reacting to a rollicking from manager David Gray who would have had something to say about the way they were bossed in the first 45 minutes.
However, it was still the champions who should have netted a third in the 48th minute, but on this occasion a whizzbang attempt by McGregor was denied by the left-hand post.
The midfielder latched onto a pass following a right-wing corner-kick to lash another long-range drive at Bursik’s goal.
Alas, it took a slight nick off a defender that deflected the ball onto the woodwork with the keeper flapping.
Three minutes later, the Czech No.1 made a superb save to foil Kyogo after the striker had been sent clear by Greg Taylor. His low shot was struck well, but Bursik got down to deflect the ball into the sidenet.
In the 63rd minute, Rodgers made his first change with Daizen Maeda taking over from Forrest and 11 minutes later Paulo Bernardo and Mikey Johnston came on for Hatate and Kyogo, who looked as though he was suffering after taking a couple of knocks.
Yang Hyun-jun and Anthony Ralston also joined the action in the 81st minute as Kuhn and Alistair Johnston made way.
OUCH…Mikey Johnston clashes with Hibs keeper Joe Bursik as the Celt goes in bravely for a rebound from a Matt O’Riley header.
There was a real scare for Schmeichel shortly afterwards when the Great Dane came so close to conceding his first Premiership goal in his second game.
Kieron Bowie somehow squeezed past Cameron Carter-Vickers on the right touchline to smash an angled rive at goal.
The shot flummoxed Schmeichel, but the attempt flicked off the angle of the bar and post and bounced to safety.
O’Riley sent in a header from an inviting right-wing cross from Bernardo, but it was blocked by Bursik and there was a clash with the keeper and Johnston as the ball spun clear.
The Republic of Ireland international took a smack in the face and tried gallantly to carry on, but had to be replaced in the fifth minute of stoppage-time.
At the end of the afternoon, it was three points well received by Celtic, but perfectionist Rodgers will be concerned with the second-half fade.
TEAM: Schmeichel; A Johnston (sub: Ralston 81), Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; O’Riley, McGregor, Hatate (sub: Bernardo 74); Kuhn (sub: Yang 81), Kyogo (sub: M Johnston 74; sub: Holm 95), Forrest (sub: Maeda 63).
