Celtic kept their Scottish Premiership title hopes alive with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Hibernian at Easter Road, thanks to a decisive second-half strike from Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho.
The Super Eagles star once again proved his growing importance to the Hoops, coming off the bench to score the winner just two minutes after his introduction. It marked his fourth goal in five games, underlining his red-hot form at a crucial stage of the season.
Celtic began the encounter on the front foot, dominating possession and creating early chances. Their task was made easier in the 20th minute when Hibernian were reduced to ten men following a reckless challenge by Jamie McGrath, who was shown a straight red card. The dismissal continued a worrying trend for Hibs, with McGrath becoming the fourth player sent off in their last three matches.
The visitors capitalised on their numerical advantage just before halftime. In the 41st minute, Daizen Maeda finished from close range to give Celtic a deserved lead after sustained pressure. However, the hosts responded immediately in stoppage time, as captain Joe Newell struck a somewhat controversial equaliser to send the teams into the break level at 1-1.
Despite their disadvantage, Hibernian showed resilience in the second half, frustrating Celtic’s attacking efforts for long periods. But the turning point came in the 70th minute when Iheanacho was introduced, replacing Yang Hyun-jun.
The impact was immediate. Just two minutes later, Iheanacho latched onto an opportunity and calmly slotted home, restoring Celtic’s lead with a composed finish that ultimately secured all three points.
The victory extends Celtic’s winning run to five matches across all competitions and keeps them firmly in the hunt for the title. They remain second in the table but are now level on points with leaders Hearts, who still have a game in hand.
With only three matches remaining, the Hoops face a challenging run-in against Rangers, Motherwell, and Hearts. As the title race intensifies, Iheanacho’s form could prove decisive in Celtic’s pursuit of a fifth consecutive league crown.
