Hibs saw their recent mini revival ended in brutal fashion at Celtic Park, as Nick Montgomery’s men succumbed to a painful 4-1 loss. Without a victory at this venue in over 13 years, the visitors arrived on the back of a three-game winning streak – but could not cope with the firepower of a Hoops side who could afford to leave Kyogo Furuhashi on the bench until the outcome was far beyond doubt.
The earliest of goals from Hyeongyu Oh set the hosts on their way inside the opening five minutes, as Hibs conceded from a corner that really should have been cleared without ceremony or risk. When Matt O’Riley made it 2-0 late in the first half, the contest was effectively put beyond doubt.
A Luis Palma penalty – awarded after another VAR intervention – early in the second half added to the visitors’ woe, while Oh’s second with 55 minutes gone left Monty’s men with a mountain to climb. Despite sub Christian Doidge making it 4-1 with 20 to go, there was no way back in a game that had gone wrong almost from the outset.
It almost went without saying that avoiding an early concession would be a prerequisite of any positive result for the visitors, who had been undone by the loss of avoidable goals in their heaviest defeat under Montgomery, a 4-0 drubbing at Ibrox. The Yorkshireman was clearly unhappy, then, as his team shot themselves in the foot with just four minutes on the clock here.
Palma’s low corner from the right was not particularly good. Nor was Cameron Carter-Vickers’ connection particularly sweet. But it was enough to steer the ball towards a lurking Oh, who did what all good centre forwards do by getting a touch to claim the opener.
Hibs settled themselves after that early setback, without ever achieving what you might call parity in a rather one-sided contest. Until, inevitably, Celtic scored a second with nine minutes of the half remaining.
Palma got just far enough beyond Lewis Miller to put in a curling cross from the left, inviting O’Riley to come flying in with a header that gave Marshall no chance. At two-nil, it already looked like game over.
Perhaps things might have been different, had Elie Youan found a finish to beat Joe Hart just a couple of minutes later. But Lewis Stevenson being pinged by VAR Gavin Duncan for a foul on Alistair Johnston inside the box gave Palma the chance to make it 3-0.
And, if Oh just flat-out bullying Will Fish into giving up the ball before beating Marshall felt like cruelty, a four-goal lead didn’t really flatter the hosts. You could even argue that Doidge getting one back, after a neat bit of interplay with Youan, hardly provided an accurate reflection of the contest.
1. GK David Marshall 6/10
Should be collecting danger money for nights like this. Could do nothing to stem Celtic tide.
2. RB Lewis Miller 5/10
Beaten with ease by Palma for Celtic’s second. A torrid night for the Aussie.
3. CB Will Fish 5/10
Not the first centre-half to be shouldered off the ball by Oh. But it didn’t look good.
4. CB Rocky Bushiri 5/10
Made some searing runs with the ball – but caught on his heels for the O’Riley goal. Photo: Ross Parker - SNS Group