Celtic 3 Hibs 0
Despite a strong showing from the Hibees, David Gray's men left Celtic Park with nothing to show for their valiant efforts.
The final scoreline does little to reflect an excellent performance in which Hibs created a host of gilt-edged opportunities - only to pass them up - whilst the hosts were clinical with theirs.
Mykola Kuharevich (twice) and Joe Newell couldn't find the back of the net with huge first-half chances whilst the game was firmly in the balance.
Celtic made us pay with goals from Arne Engels, an unfortunate Newell own goal and a late effort from substitute Kyogo, giving the champions three points and a flattering scoreline.
Such was our performance that the host’s goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel picked up the Player of the Match award following a string of big saves.
Hibs Head Coach Gray made two changes to his side following our comprehensive victory over Motherwell.
Lewis Miller and Jordan Obita came in at full-back as Chris Cadden and Junior Hoilett dropped to the bench.
The hosts made five changes this afternoon with Engels, Liam Scales, Greg Taylor, Luke McCowan and Adam Idah all coming into their starting XI, as they sought to make it 30 domestic games unbeaten.
We haven’t won in the east end of Glasgow since 2010 and there cannot have been many matches since where we created so many opportunities to put that record to bed.
It started inside the first 70 seconds when Kuharevich raced clean through on goal only for a tame finish to allow Schmeichel to save with his legs.
A minute later and Schmeichel was again called into action to save from Nicky Cadden at the second attempt down beside his near post.
Hibs had another opportunity before five minutes had even been played with Schmeichel gathering an Elie Youan shot at his near post as our bright start kept the Celtic goalie busy.
Yet, despite starting so well, we found ourselves trailing after Celtic broke the deadlock with their first foray forward.
Nicolas Kühn fed Alastair Johnston on the overlap and his low cross was touched in by midfielder Engels.
The hosts took a lift from their goal and Hibs had to weather a storm in the moments that followed, as McCowan latched onto Daizen Maeda's cut back and struck the top of our crossbar with Jordan Smith beaten.
Moments later and McCowan pounced on a poor pass from Warren O’Hora before striking for goal and this time Smith gathered low to his left.
The game was only 13 minutes old yet both teams had enjoyed plenty of opportunities with Smith called into action again to thwart Idah after he got in behind O’Hora.
The Hibees were 5-4-1 out of possession and defending very well however when we had the ball we quickly shifted formation and our pace up top was causing Celtic problems, particularly down the flanks as we exposed the gaps left by the hosts' full-backs pushing forward.
Gray's side had another big opportunity to score when Youan released Miller down the right and from his cut back Newell blazed high over the crossbar from an unmarked position at the penalty spot.
We were carving Celtic wide open but failing to punish them.
Soon after, Kuharevich went clean through again only to take a heavy touch that allowed Schmeichel to save.
To make matters worse, Myko appeared to injure himself trying to stretch for the ball and he was replaced by Josh Campbell, who moved wide right with Youan going through the middle.
Celtic would finish the first half strongly with Maeda glancing a header just wide of Smith’s far post, Idah being denied by the goalkeeper following a close-range shot on the turn before Engels’ drive from distance was pushed round his post.
Brendan Rodgers replaced Kühn with James Forrest during the interval as Celtic piled on the pressure at the start of the second half.
Smith was twice in action early on to make big saves from Engels and Liam Scales before the hosts' pressure paid off.
Their corner kick was flicked on at the near post by the head of Idah and Newell could do little other than divert the ball into his own net.
We tried to respond and from a poor back pass from McCowan, Youan was thwarted by Schmeichel, who was also equal to the rebound.
The veteran goalkeeper was having his busiest afternoon since joining Celtic in the summer and he was at times all that was standing between ourselves and a way back into the match.
In the moments that followed he saved a rising shot from Nectar Triantis and a header from O’Hora, whilst Rocky Bushiri headed wide and Miller’s shot was deflected just over the crossbar.
Hibs were giving Celtic’s defence perhaps the sternest test they had faced domestically all season only for a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing to deny us time and again.
With 14 minutes remaining, Celtic substitute Yang went close to putting the game to bed with a reverse shot that fizzed just wide of Smith’s near post.
Two minutes later and it took a great save from Smith to deny Auston Trusty following Paulo Bernardo’s corner kick as Celtic threatened once more.
With six minutes remaining Celtic did finally put the game to bed when Kyogo produced a stunning finish to dink it over Smith following Forrest’s through ball.
The goal put an ill-deserved reflection on the scoreline however there were many positives for Gray and his side to take from our performance in Glasgow.