Celtic extend lead at the top of the table
Celtic 3 - 0 Hibernian
Brendan Rodgers commended Celtic's attacking display as they capitalised on a wasteful Hibernian to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to nine points.
Celtic secured their seventh consecutive league win with Arne Engels' first-half tap-in, an own goal from Joe Newell, and a sublime finish from Kyogo after the interval.
Hibs, though, had their chances, particularly in the first half, where they exposed Celtic's high defensive line. Mykola Kuharevich was twice denied in one-on-one situations by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, while Joe Newell squandered a golden opportunity, firing over the bar unmarked inside the box.
At the other end, Celtic proved clinical. Engels converted Alistair Johnston's cross, and Adam Idah's flick-on was inadvertently turned into his own net by Newell.
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Hibs' inability to take their chances persisted in the second half. Schmeichel produced excellent saves to deny Elie Youan and Nicky Cadden, while Lewis Miller headed straight at the Danish shot-stopper.
In a lively second half, Liam Scales and Auston Trusty saw their efforts thwarted before Kyogo sealed the win with a touch of brilliance. Picking up the ball after Celtic's high press forced a turnover, the Japanese forward elegantly lifted it over Hibs keeper Jordan Smith.
With Aberdeen drawing 1-1 against St Johnstone, Celtic tightened their grip on the title race. For Hibernian, this marks their worst start to a top-flight season since 1979-80, a campaign that ended in relegation after finishing bottom of the league.
View from the stands at Celtic Park
Claire, a Celtic Season Ticket holder, spoke highly about the strength about their squad: "The squad is filled full of players with exceptional individual talent, and it's likely that some of them have considerable egos. However, at this club, it has always been about teamwork and the collective rather than individual glory. Our focus remains consistently on the squad as a whole and the club as a unit. This emphasis on unity is the foundation of our success."
This was a view supported by Andy. He added: "Since the manager has come back, he has helped to develop an outstanding team spirit. Similar to what Claire has said, this evident in the way players talk about one another after games and support each other on the pitch. In contrast, there are rumors about other clubs where the dressing rooms are divided into factions and conflicts are common."
