Hibernian 1–2 Celtic | Scottish Premiership | 25 October 2026

Result Summary

Celtic claimed a hard-fought victory at Easter Road, overcoming an early scare to secure all three points in what proved to be a dramatic and fiercely contested Premiership clash. Martin O'Neill's side showed considerable character after conceding inside three minutes, eventually winning 2–1 thanks to a decisive first-half turnaround that shaped the entire afternoon.

Match Analysis

The opening exchanges were extraordinarily eventful. Owen Elding gave Hibernian a dream start in just the third minute, converting with his left foot from a Joe Newell assist to send the home crowd into raptures. However, Celtic's response was near-instantaneous — within two minutes, Jason Kerr deflected the ball into his own net, levelling matters in the fifth minute and deflating much of the early Hibernian momentum. That sequence of goals compressed into the opening five minutes set the tone for an intense, high-tempo encounter.

Celtic then grew into the contest, gradually imposing themselves through superior possession. Celtic controlled 61% of the ball compared to Hibernian's 39%, and that dominance was further reflected in the key passes tally — 14 for Celtic against just 8 for Hibernian. The visitors also generated 56 dangerous attacks to Hibernian's 34, illustrating a clear territorial and creative advantage as the half progressed.

Camilo Andres Durán Marquez delivered the decisive moment on 43 minutes, firing home with his left foot to give Celtic the lead they merited heading into the break. It was a crucial strike, ensuring Celtic would emerge from a chaotic first half with a one-goal advantage.

The second half was more contained, though not without incident. A flurry of bookings added needle — Kasper Høgh was cautioned just before half-time for an argument, while Thibault Klidjé, Kieran Tierney, Marko Ivezić, and Shim Mheuka all collected yellows as the game grew increasingly physical. Celtic made proactive changes, with Haissem Hassan and João Pedro Neves Filipe introduced on 64 minutes, and Shim Mheuka coming on shortly after, adding fresh legs in the closing stages. Hibernian responded with their own adjustments, bringing on Rabbi Matondo and Ante Šuto, though Marink Reedijk's side struggled to seriously threaten a well-organised Celtic rearguard. Celtic registered 4 shots on target to Hibernian's 2, underlining their control over the most critical moments.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast called for a Celtic win (0–2), backed by a 52% away win probability and a confidence rating of 61/100. While the exact scoreline differed — Celtic winning 2–1 rather than the predicted 2–0 — the outcome prediction was correct. The statistics largely validated the forecast's reasoning: Celtic's superiority in possession, dangerous attacks, and key passes all pointed to a visiting win, even if Hibernian's spirited start and Kerr's own goal complicated the narrative.

Key Takeaways

• The first five minutes were pivotal — two goals in rapid succession fundamentally altered the psychological dynamics of the match.
• Celtic's composure in response to adversity was telling; conceding early did not disrupt their game plan significantly.
• Durán's 43rd-minute strike was the match-winning contribution, arriving at a psychologically critical moment before half-time.
• Hibernian showed fight but struggled to convert their 13 total shots into sustained pressure, ultimately undone by their own defensive misfortune.
• Martin O'Neill's side strengthened their Premiership position with a professional, if nervy, away victory.