Callum McGregor played a key role in securing a straightforward Scottish Premiership victory for Celtic
A brilliant goal from Callum McGregor contributed to Celtic’s convincing Scottish Premiership victory over Hibernian at Easter Road.
Nicolas Kuhn gave the champions an early lead within three minutes after home goalkeeper Josef Bursik couldn’t handle Kyogo’s initial shot.
McGregor, who announced his retirement from Scotland earlier this week, doubled Celtic’s lead with a stunning left-footed strike from 25 yards during an impressive first-half performance.
Brendan Rodgers’ side could have added more goals if not for the woodwork, but they’ll be satisfied with securing three points at a venue where they’ve had difficulties under the Northern Irishman.
The hosts were booed off at halftime after failing to register a shot, though they improved in the second half, with striker Kieron Bowie coming close to a debut goal, only to be denied by the crossbar.
Despite this effort, Hibernian never truly threatened and have now lost both of their opening league matches under David Gray.
Celtic cruise without breaking a sweat
Rodgers stuck with the same lineup that comfortably defeated Kilmarnock last weekend, and their strong start to the season continued in Leith.
In the first half, they played some beautiful football, flooding the box with players and moving the ball quickly.
Kuhn, who appears to have reaped the benefits of a full pre-season, was brimming with confidence on the right wing after his close-range goal, and Celtic frequently broke through the defense with ease in the early stages.
Their pressing game was key to their dominance in possession, allowing them to create chances effortlessly.
McGregor, who made headlines this week with his surprising international retirement, provided the highlight of the match with a stunning strike that soared past Bursik into the top corner.
With McGregor leading the charge, Celtic are undeniably the team to beat this season. They appeared so polished, so assured, and it seemed they never had to fully push themselves to secure the three points.
Hibernian fall flat again
After the opening league loss to St Mirren, Gray emphasized that their second-half collapse was unacceptable, but the team showed little improvement.
Kyogo was given too much space to shoot from the edge of the box, and Bursik failed to clear the ball safely, leading to a soft early goal that set a negative tone for the match.
The home midfield was completely ineffective, with Josh Campbell, Joe Newell, and Dylan Levitt unable to make any impact.
When Hibs did manage to gain possession, they quickly lost it, leaving Mykola Kuharevich isolated and starved of service up front.
They failed to register a single shot on goal before halftime, raising questions about Hibs’ direction under Gray’s management.
While there was some improvement in the second half, it would have been nearly impossible for things to get worse, and Celtic eased off slightly.
The one bright moment came from substitute Bowie, who outmuscled Cameron Carter-Vickers and curled a shot past Kasper Schmeichel, only to see it hit the bar from a tight angle.
Gray will be hoping the Scotland Under-21 striker can provide a much-needed focal point in attack, starting with another clash against Celtic next Saturday in the League Cup.
Hibernian head coach David Gray
“You can’t afford to give a team like Celtic an early goal just three minutes in.
“When you make individual mistakes and lack bravery on the ball, it can turn into a long afternoon. We were probably lucky to only be down 2-0 at halftime.
“The second half was better; we showed more threat and had a bit more composure with the ball. Obviously, we’re really disappointed with the loss; we need to learn quickly because we face them again next weekend, this time away from home.
“We’re going through some short-term pain right now, but I’m confident about the direction we can take this squad.”
**Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers:**
“Easter Road is one of the toughest venues in Scottish football.
“I thought we played very well for large parts of the game. There were some moments in the second half where we went long too early.
“We made a great start, showed a strong winning attitude, and displayed our quality. We should have scored a few more goals.”