Scottish Premiership
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC… 2
(Frimpong 40, Edouard 66)

HIBERNIAN… 0

CELTIC returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership this afternoon (Sunday) with a comfortable 2-0 win over Hibernian at Paradise. A first-half strike from Man of the Match Jeremie Frimpong put the Hoops in front before the break, before Odsonne Edouard doubled their lead on 66 minutes.

Celtic started on the front foot with both Forrest and Edouard pressing the Hibs defence through the middle. The home side’s first half-chance arrived in the first few minutes, when Olivier Ntcham found space on the right, before seeing his low cut-back cleared from six yards. On five minutes, Jeremie Frimpong tried the same move, but was edged off the ball by Lewis Stevenson.

On 10 minutes, Ntcham carved the Hoops’ first clear-cut opportunity with a well-struck effort from 12 yards was matched by an outstretched Ofir Marciano. At the opposite end, Stephen Mallan split the Celtic defence with a fine through-ball, but Kris Ajer blocked Jason Naismith’s run with an inch-perfect slide tackle.

Five minutes on, Frimpong showed wonderful skill inside the box, before squaring for Edouard, whose curling right-foot attempt clipped the outside of the post. Minutes later, Edouard fired a powerful drive just wide of the mark, and, two minutes after that again, Callum McGregor pounced on a loose ball to send a shot down the throat of Marciano.

Despite the home side’s onslaught, Hibs moved the ball quickly on the counter, which called for cool defending from Christopher Jullien and Nir Bitton as required. On 37 minutes, Boli Bolingoli came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when he flashed a shot across goal past the post.

With five minutes of the first period remaining, Celtic got the goal they deserved following some neat link-up play between Edouard and Frimpong. After driving through the heart of the Hibs backline, the striker slipped the ball to Frimpong, who coolly slotted the ball under Marciano into the net.

Celtic returned from the break with the same attacking intent, as they sought to double their lead. On 50 minutes, McGregor dragged a shot just wide following some smart build-up play from Forrest and Frimpong, while five minutes later, Edouard collected a Frimpong cut-back before sending it high of the mark from 10 yards.

The Frenchman didn’t make the same mistake 11 minutes later, however, when he collected the ball from Forrest to his right, before passing the ball beyond substitute keeper Chris Maxwell. This would mark Edouard’s last contribution to the game as he made way for Leigh Griffiths.

From there, Hibs stepped out in search of a goal, but rarely threatened the Celtic net. In fact, it was Jullien who came closest with seven minutes of time remaining, when a strong hand from Fraser Forster prevented an own goal.

Griffiths had a couple of chances to put the Hoops three in front without reply, but was unfortunate not to hit the target. All told, a comfortable and well-disciplined performance from Neil Lennon’s men which restores their place at the summit of the Premiership.

CELTIC: Forster; Bitton, Jullien, Ajer; Frimpong, Brown, Bolingoli, Ntcham, McGregor; Forrest (Rogic 84), Edouard (Griffiths 68)
Subs not used: Gordon, Taylor, Bayo, Bauer, Morgan

HIBERNIAN: Marciano (Maxwell 46), Halon, Doidge (Horgan 72), Boyle, Mallan, Stevenson, Naismith, Kamberi, Allan (Murray 79), Hallberg, Porteous
Subs not used: Horgan, Sllivka, Jackson, McGregor, Shaw

Website Man of the Match: Jeremie Frimpong

Confident Celts return to the top of the league with win over Hibs