Celtic survived a stormy encounter at Easter Road to beat Hibernian 2-1 and maintain their four-point lead at the top of the Premiership. Owen Elding fired Hibs ahead inside three minutes, but Josh Kerr's own goal levelled the match and Camilo Duran's strike before the break sealed the win for Martin O'Neill's side.
The wind whipped around Easter Road as Storm Boelo caused havoc across the country, with blue skies but howling winds making conditions difficult for both teams. Celtic managed to batten down the hatches and hang tough, despite a late flurry from the hosts.
Early Storm and Quick Response
Hibs were dealt a blow when Martin Boyle pulled out just before kick-off with illness, but it was Celtic who felt sick when the hosts raced ahead after barely two minutes. Joe Newell caught the Hoops napping with a quick free kick to release Elding, and the forward superbly slotted low past Sam Johnstone.
The joy lasted just three minutes as Celtic levelled when Josh Kerr inexplicably nodded Benjamin Nygren's corner into his own net. Both sides struggled to deal with the swirling wind, but Duran had Celtic ahead two minutes before the break when he pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the box and swept into Raphael Sallinger's far corner.
Job Done After European Pain
This was never going to be a day for silky football, but it was job done for Celtic as they once again bounced back from European pain to enjoy domestic success. Easter Road hasn't been a happy hunting ground for the Hoops in recent years, and rivals might have sensed a slip-up on the back of Thursday's Europa League loss to Celta Vigo, especially when Hibs went ahead early on.
It wasn't as thrilling as the 7-1 win against Hearts last week, but O'Neill's men managed to grind out three points. The swirling wind made it tricky, but the Hoops managed the second half impressively to secure the victory without too much fuss.
Duran Delivers and Hogh's Drought Continues
Duran made it double figures for the season with his superb first-half strike, and the £6m stumped up to Qarabag in the summer already looks a snip. The Colombian is a threat no matter where he plays on the pitch, but the question remains about starting him on the flank. Duran shifted across here to make way for Hogh and found it difficult to get involved from the wide areas, but it didn't stop him notching as he drifted inside to pick up a loose ball and drill into the bottom corner.
The drought continued for Hogh, who was back in the starting line-up but couldn't find the net as he clocked up a 12th game on the spin for Celtic without scoring. Hogh put in a shift in tough conditions but looked awkward at times and really should have been on the scoresheet. The £11m man missed a glorious chance in the first half when he found space at the back post but fired straight at keeper Raphael Sallinger.
Hibs Struggles and Johnston Concern
These are tough times for new Hibs boss Marink Reedijk as he still searches for his first win. His team are still struggling to adapt to his set-up, and while there were some neat moments here, it continues to look disjointed. Martin Boyle pulling out before kick-off through illness was a blow, and then there was the wild end to this game when Reedijk chucked on Grant Hanley as a striker.
Celtic fans were thrilled to see Alistair Johnston making his return from injury, but the joy turned to despair when the full back lasted just 20 minutes of his comeback from a hamstring tear. O'Neill will be praying it's nothing serious as the Canadian has been a big miss. Youngster Colby Donovan has produced the goods and his performances have fired him into the Scotland squad, but Johnston has been a major part of Celtic's success in recent years. The full back missed most of last season and now a chunk of this one, and these injuries are now a huge worry for Celtic.
