Hibs 1-2 Celtic: Idah scores stoppage time penalty for leaders

Over six years within the making, a primary style of victory for Brendan Rodgers at Easter Road got here not a second too quickly. The method through which it arrived final evening was actually extraordinary.

As the 90 minute mark got here up in Leith, it appeared as if Celtic would once more be left to depend the price of their lack of leading edge in entrance of objective.

Ahead via Adam Idah’s early penalty, the champions noticed loads of the ball however lacked guile when it actually mattered.

Second finest all through a flat first half, Hibs did as many different sides have lately carried out to Celtic. They upped their recreation and took benefit of the psychological fragility that’s evident in Rodgers’ gamers at this second.

Dylan Levitt’s wondrous strike had been within the put up from the minute the guests handed up a string of probabilities to place the difficulty too mattress.

If something, Nick Montgomery’s facet appeared the probably to win it in a frantic closing spell.

But one final dramatic twist proper on the dying ensured Celtic blew away the gathering storm clouds.

Kyogo Furuhashi had been launched to the motion in desperation. His dribble into the penalty field drew contact from Joe Newell that was not instantly obvious to referee Nick Walsh.

Alerted to the incident by VAR Andrew Dallas, a penalty was belatedly awarded. Idah repeated the trick from 12 yards. The sense of aid within the visiting finish was palpable.

The slip-up at Pittodrie on the weekend was to not be adopted by a bruising fall in Leith. At the fifth time of asking, Rodgers left this a part of the world with the three factors he got here for.

This was a sore one for Hibs. They began poorly however labored their approach into the competition and appeared good for some extent till Newell’s lazy leg value them. A winless league runs now stretches again to December 9 in opposition to Livingston.

Freshly returned from Japan’s Asian Cup journey, Daizen Maeda was thrown straight again in. Curiously, regardless of not being known as up by his nation, Furuhashi was benched with Idah handed his first begin.

Nicolas Kuhn, Celtic’s different January signing, additionally began after a formidable scoring debut at Aberdeen.

Given Australia exited the event in Qatar a day earlier, there was little shock that Nick Montgomery reintroduced Lewis Miller and Martin Boyle to his facet.

If Celtic felt in any approach burdened by the flak that had flown because the weekend, then they didn’t present it on the outset.

Dominating the ball from the primary whistle, they penned Hibernian in, transferring them back and forth, passing and probing and asking questions.

When the house facet did not cope with a free-kick into their field, panic set in. Far too desirous to cope with the state of affairs after Newell headed the ball into the evening sky, Nectarios Triantis misplaced his cool fully. Second favorite to the excessive ball, his head thumped into Alistair Johnston’s after the Canadian had saved the state of affairs alive.

After establishing that there was no benefit available, Walsh awarded a penalty.

For Idah, the six-minute wait to identify the ball will need to have felt like an age. That’s how lengthy it took for Johnston to be stretchered off with Anthony Ralston introduced on. Commendably, the Irishman calmly despatched David Marshall the fallacious approach from 12 yards.

As the guests celebrated, Triantis, who’d additionally conceded a penalty in opposition to St Mirren on Saturday, will need to have briefly wished he was again in Sunderland.

Celtic appeared within the temper to get the job carried out early. Liam Scales’ incisive go to Paulo Bernardo allowed the Portuguese to regular himself and take purpose however he couldn’t hit the goal from 20 yards.

Bernardo appeared to have turned supplier when he clipped a intelligent ball spherical Triantis which Idah met. Marshall did simply sufficient this time.

Despite being a objective down, Hibs have been content material to take a seat in and await their moments. There was treasured few of them.

Jordan Obita appeared the probably supply when he left his put up and bounded down the left. He managed to advance far sufficient to ship a cross which bobbled concerning the Celtic penalty field. Elie Youan acquired his shot away. Scales acquired the very important contact did to make sure the strike didn’t ball Joe Hart into motion.

There was a lot to admire about the way in which Celtic saved the ball and stayed affected person.. Again, nonetheless, gilt-edged probabilities proved arduous to come back by.

Bernardo virtually discovered the second when he picked a pocket of tempo within the field. His try to chip Marshall was extremely bold.

The half-time whistle discovered Celtic in acquainted territory. For all they have been measurably the higher facet, they nonetheless had a lot work to do to nail down the three factors.

The sample continued after the turnaround. Scales didn’t get sufficient buy on a header and Marshall watched the ball drift harmlessly huge.

Idah rattled the crossbar after Maeda has fired in a cross though the offside flag was up anyway.

Alexandro Bernabei didn’t have his critics to hunt after his show at Pittodrie however he contributed extra right here. Rodgers was grateful to the Argentine’s alertness to forestall Boyle connecting with Newell’s deep cross.

Idah’s working off the ball was spectacular. When Bernardo performed him in with a slide-rule go, he will need to have seen the morning headlines in his thoughts’s eye. But Marshall once more rode to the rescue.

Those followers housed within the visiting finish most likely had a way of what was coming subsequent.

Meeting Newell’s free-kick, Will Fish noticed Levitt lurking on the fringe of the field. The Welshman’s right-foot strike from 20 yards was absolute perfection. Hart may solely watch it flash into the underside nook.

It was anybody’s recreation now. Sub Myziane Maolida virtually put Hibs in entrance with an overhead kick after Scales’ error.

Boyle was booked for benefiting from Bernabei’s problem then noticed Hart deflect his strike huge.

Why Celtic didn’t instantly make the winger pay on the different finish was actually staggering.

Idah appeared to have on a regular basis on this planet to transform a easy likelihood from seven yards however hesitated. Just off the bench, Furuhashi additionally needed an age to transform the follow-up likelihood and Newell took the ball off his toe. It summed up the current travails of the Japanese.

With the sport see-sawing from finish to finish, Lewis Miller slid in to fulfill Newell’s cross however the full-back pulled his effort earlier than the far put up.

Fish might need received it for the house facet, however he dragged his shot huge. Marshall was the equal of Furuhashi’s strike on the different finish.

But we hadn’t seen the final of the drama. Not by an extended chalk. With the 90 minutes nearly up, Furuhashi wove his approach into the field however discovered his progress halted.

There appeared little amiss initially, however Walsh was rapidly urged to make a journey to the pitch facet monitor by VAR the place Newell’s problem on the ahead was rightly deemed to be a foul.

What strain Idah had on his shoulders. But he calmly slotted dwelling once more from the spot to make sure Celtic snatched the three treasured factors.