Celtic still on course for domestic treble
Celtic 2 - 0 Hibernian
Daizen Maeda's 27th goal of the season and a stoppage-time strike from Adam Idah kept Celtic's treble dream alive as they edged past Hibernian in a hard-fought Scottish Cup quarter-final.
Hibs, without a Scottish Cup win at Celtic Park since 1902, once again left empty-handed after Maeda struck just before half-time to extend the visitors’ misery. The Japan international’s ruthless finish – his 13th goal in as many games – came after Jordan Smith had produced a fine save to deny Nicolas Kuhn, only for Maeda to pounce and rifle the rebound high into the net.
It was a moment of redemption for the forward, who had earlier squandered a glorious chance, blazing over the bar when it seemed easier to score.
Smith, who recently signed a new deal with Hibs, kept his side in contention with two excellent first-half saves – first tipping away Callum McGregor’s low drive and then reacting sharply to deny Reo Hatate from close range.
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At the other end, Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel also had to be at his best, producing a superb early save to palm away a fierce strike from Kieron Bowie and ensuring the holders remained on the front foot.
Celtic, dominant for long spells, should have made the game safe well before the final whistle. Maeda came agonisingly close to doubling his tally when he prodded wide from point-blank range, while substitute Yang Hyun-jun missed an even clearer opportunity late on, skewing a wild effort off target.
As the clock ticked into injury time, Hibs briefly threatened to force a dramatic equaliser, but Celtic’s superior quality ultimately told. With seconds remaining, Idah broke through on goal and calmly slotted past Smith to put the result beyond doubt, sparking jubilant celebrations from the home support.
With the League Cup already secured and a commanding lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership, Brendan Rodgers’ side remain firmly on course for another domestic treble. The result also preserves Celtic’s formidable home record, having not lost at Parkhead in domestic competition since December 2023.
Rodgers himself has now won all 20 of his Scottish Cup ties as Celtic manager. Another remarkable statistic that underlines their continued dominance in Scottish football.
Maeda shines again for the Bhoys in Green
After Celtic opened their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 thrashing over Slovan Bratislava, the Celtic boss heaped praise on Daizen Maeda.
Kyogo Furuhashi often took the headlines at Celtic due to his knack of scoring big goals, and lots of them. However, since Kyogo left for Rennes in January, Maeda has really stepped up.
This close-range effort against Hibs took his overall tally to 24 games this season. This is his most productive season since he signed for Celtic.
