sport news Hibernian 4-2 Celtic: Champions slump to defeat despite twice holding the lead trends now
The team that supposedly doesn’t stop isn’t half labouring as the final meaningful game of the season comes into view.
Imperious for the vast majority of this season, Celtic have now won just one league game in five.
Notwithstanding the lack of true consequences for that run and the makeshift nature of the sides Ange Postecoglou has selected since the league was wrapped up, there has to be a niggling concern at the back of the Australian’s mind that his side are now finding bad habits hard to shake.
Make no mistake, ahead of their meeting at Hampden on June 3, privately, Inverness Caley Thistle will be taking no little confidence from this.
As against St Mirren at the weekend, Celtic were error strewn and lacking in purpose. And in Daizen Maeda’s case, they also lacked the necessary discipline.
Midway through the second half, with his side leading 2-1, the Japanese picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Lewis Miller that had felt inevitable for some time.
Reduced in numbers, Celtic folded – losing three goals in 11 minutes – and at times their shape entirely.
Anthony Ralston’s foul which allowed Kevin Nisbet to equalise from the spot was needless. Scott Bain’s fumble which allowed Elie Youan to put Hibs ahead typified what Celtic became in the closing stages.
Hibs, though, deserve every once of credit going. They showed belief to peg Celtic back twice then put their foot to the floor to record their first win against Postecoglou’s men this season.
Now assured of fifth place, they can still reach fourth by winning at Tynecastle on Saturday. On this evidence, they have every chance of doing so.
Postecoglou wasn’t bluffing when he stated that he’d reserve the right to put out an experimental line-up again.
Bain made his first appearance in goal since December 2021 behind a back four that included Yuki Kobayashi and Alexandro Bernabei.
Tomoki Iwata and Hyeon-gyu Oh started with those initially held in reserve including Jota, Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi.
Desperate for a result in their quest to qualify for Europe, there was never any question of Hibs boss Lee Johnson following suit.
With both teams playing with the handbrake off, it was engaging stuff for the most part even if it did have a distinct end-of-season air to it.
Caught on the ball in the very first minute, Bernabei was relieved to see Bain get right behind Youan’s close-range strike.
Played in by Sead Haksabanovic’s incisive pass at the other end, Bernabei made up the ground to cross for Oh. The South Korean ought to have done better than fire over.
After a sluggish start, Celtic were up and running. Liel Abada forced David Marshall to tip his shot over after ghosting in at the far post in typical fashion.
The Hibs keeper looked beaten
