Injuries to Gordon and Griffiths mar Hoops win in Rodgers’ 100th match
CELTIC 1
Griffiths (27)
HIBS 0 Brendan Rodgers’ 100th game in charge of Celtic is liable to linger longer in the memories of two of his players who failed to see it out than of the man himself.
For Leigh Griffiths it produced his first ever goal against the club he has never made any secret of supporting, followed quickly by a match-ending recurrence of a persistent calf problem.
The recollection will be more painful still for Craig Gordon, who went down heavily in a challenge with Efe Ambrose injuring his left knee and was substituted at half-time.
The joint is the same one which he previously damaged so badly it nearly ended his career, putting him out of action for the best part of two years.
The injury is understood to be a different one but a lengthy spell out could still be on the cards with the results of a scan expected tomorrow.
With both previous Premiership meetings of these two having been not only entertaining affairs but competitive too, each ending in 2-2 draws, hopes were high for this one.
And while it didn’t quite live up to what had gone before, there was a least a fair smattering of action throughout.
Celtic’s Scott Sinclair was the first man to raise eyebrows with an astonishing miss.
It came about from Dylan McGeouch’s foul on Callum McGregor which handed Leigh Griffiths a set-piece scoring opportunity from a great position.
The Scotland striker curled in a beauty which Hibs keeper Ofir Marciano could do no more than palm into the path of the in-rushing Sinclair.
Two yards out and with the breadth of the entire goal to aim at, he somehow contrived to scoop his effort on to the post.
Hibs were lively, too, with Martin Boyle prominent and Brandon Barker forcing a great stop out of Gordon after manoeuvring his way into a situation where he was one on one with the Celtic keeper.
A lack of goals has been the Edinburgh side’s Achilles heel of late and their former star Griffiths showed them what they were missing with a piece of clinical finishing for the opener.
Kieran Tierney whipped in a cross from the left, Paul Hanlon headed it on, but only as far as the Celtic striker at the back of the area who volleyed back and into the far corner of the net.
Then, having made his argument to be the Hoops’ regular first-team striker he underlined the wisdom of his manager Brendan Rodgers insistence that the club need Griffiths, Moussa Demeble and Odsonne Edouard all in the mix when breaking down with a recurrence of his calf injury.
Jersey pulled high over his head to hide his grimaces, he cut a disconsolate figure as he trudged off to the sideline where his boss was waiting with a handshake.
His loss was Dembele’s gain with the 21-year-old Frenchman, benched after being adjudged to have become distracted about possible transfer window activity, introduced in his place.
There was change too at the other end for Celtic with Dorus de Vries replacing the ill-fated Gordon at half-time.
Of the two it was the latter who looked more match ready with Dembele’s touch, link-up play and distribution all a bit off.
The reverse was true of Hibs midfielder John McGinn who looked right on his game, especially in the second half.
Time and again he drove forward, picking his way through the Celtic ranks and was unlucky not to pick up an equaliser with a fine effort from long range which had de Vries scrambling across his goal to save.