Celtic came from behind to beat Hibernian 2-1 in the Scottish Premiership at Easter Road on Sunday evening, maintaining their push at the top of the table with a hard-fought away victory.

Match overview

Hibernian made the brighter start and took the lead with a well-worked move that exposed space down Celtic’s right side. The home crowd responded, and for a spell Hibs looked the more likely side to add a second. Celtic, however, gradually settled into their rhythm and equalised before half-time with a patient passing sequence that pulled the Hibs defence out of shape.

The second half was more controlled from Celtic. They pushed higher up the pitch, forced Hibs into longer clearances, and found the winner just after the hour mark. Hibs had a late chance to level but could not convert, and Celtic saw out the closing stages with a professional display.

Key moments

• 12th minute: Hibernian opened the scoring with a low finish after a quick transition and a smart run in behind the Celtic defence.
• 41st minute: Celtic equalised with a composed move, finishing from close range after a cut-back from the left.
• 67th minute: Celtic scored the winner, with a midfielder arriving late in the box to convert a rebound after the Hibs goalkeeper had made the initial save.
• 84th minute: Hibernian’s best chance of the second half came from a header that drifted just wide of the far post.

Tactical story

Hibernian set up with energy and looked to press Celtic’s deeper midfielders, hoping to force mistakes in the build-up. That worked early on, and the opening goal came from exactly that kind of pressure. As the game wore on, though, Celtic’s superior possession game began to tell. Their midfield rotated well, and the full-backs pushed higher to create overloads on the flanks.

Celtic’s winning goal was a good example of their patience and box-crashing approach. Instead of settling for a draw, they kept pushing numbers into the penalty area and were rewarded when a second ball fell kindly. Hibernian defended bravely for long spells but were eventually undone by Celtic’s ability to sustain pressure.

Standout players

Celtic’s midfield anchor was central to the comeback, dictating the tempo and breaking up Hibs’ counter-attacks. The winger on the left also caused problems throughout, and the match-winner showed excellent anticipation to follow up on the initial save.

For Hibernian, the goalkeeper made several important stops to keep the scoreline close, while the captain in defence produced a committed performance. The forward who scored the opener was a constant threat in the first half but saw less of the ball after the break.

Season impact

The win keeps Celtic firmly in the Scottish Premiership title race and underlines their ability to grind out results away from home. For Hibernian, the defeat is a frustrating one, especially after taking the lead, but the performance showed enough to suggest they can remain competitive in the race for a top-six finish.

Celtic’s squad depth and ability to change the game from the bench were on display again. Hibernian, meanwhile, will look at the spells before and after half-time as the key moments where the match slipped away. In a division where away wins are precious, this is a result Celtic will value highly.