Greek tragedy for Hibs on Mowbray's return

Although the build up to this match had been dominated by talk of the return of Tony Mowbray to Easter Road, it was Scottish football’s own version of “Eduardo-gate” that took centre stage after this match, in which Greek international Georgios Samaras' goal proved to be the difference between the sides.

The visitors came closest to opening the scoring in the early period, and Samaras was involved from the outset. An in swinging corner kick from the lethal left boot of Celtic’s Danny Fox found Samaras, but the Greek could only look on in despair as his header crashed off the cross bar, with Hibs’ debutant goalkeeper Graham Stack beaten.

Hibs replied quickly, breaking down the left through the hard-working Riordan, who was fouled from behind by McGeady as he burst through the Celtic defence; the Irishman receiving a caution for the offence. Riordan’s consequent free kick provided Hibs’ most threatening moment of the half, yet even this barely troubled Boruc in the Celtic goal.

On 40 minutes, Samaras rose highest of all in the six yard box to bullet a header into the net after a fine delivery from the right by Hinkel. Hogg had struggled to deal with the Greek’s aerial power from the outset and it came as no surprise that it was through Samaras that Celtic finally got their goal.

Referee Dougie McDonald’s whistle signalled the end of a first forty-five minutes in which Celtic deserved to be ahead. Hibs were yet to pose a real threat to Boruc’s goal, with the final ball all too often failing the Leith side.

Hibernian made much of the early running after the break, winning the first of three successive corners after only four minutes of the second half. The equalising goal proved elusive though, with Hogg heading over from six yards. Hibs made a change in the midfield soon after, trading the industry of Cregg for the craft and guile of Zemmama.

Celtic’s own creative force Aiden McGeady was then sent from the field in the most controversial moment of the match. McGeady threw himself to the ground, claiming foul play by Hibs’ young left-back, Paul Hanlon. Referee McDonald decided, as television pictures later proved, that there had been no contact and dealt McGeady his second yellow card of the day.

Almost immediately, Wotherspoon fired an outstanding half volley at goal from fully thirty-five yards out, allowing Artur Boruc to demonstrate exactly why Celtic paid a multi-million pound fee for his services, and denying Hibs fans the chance to celebrate yet another long-range strike at the expense of the Pole.

Hibs began to throw everything at the visitors in the last fifteen minutes, replacing the ineffective Anthony Stokes with Colin Nish. The home side were dominant, but presented no consistent threat to the Celtic goal, despite their man advantage.

Bamba was sent to the front, as Hibs, now in a 2-3-5 formation, tried a more direct route to goal. Celtic should have doubled their lead in the 88th minute when they broke three versus one, only for Hibs ‘keeper, Stack, to save from Samaras.

Hogg and then Bamba- an unbelievable three times in four minutes- squandered fantastic chances that surely would have been converted had they fallen to any forward. As it was, Bamba gave frequent reminders to all in attendance of exactly why it is that he had never scored a goal in Scottish football until the previous weekend’s header against Falkirk, and an excellent game came to a breathless conclusion with Hibs unable to find an equaliser.