Celtic need just a point to retain the SPL title after a 3-0 win over Hibs in what was our best domestic performance for some time, the star of the show being two goal hero Kris Commons.
Celtic played a 4-4-2, with with the returning Mikael Lustig at right-back, Wanyama and Ledley in the midfield and Stokes Hooper up front. We took the lead in the 16th minute, a Hooper pass finding Commons who broke in between two defenders and smashed the ball home. Our best chance in the rest of the first half came when Stokes put Hooper through but his shot was weak and saved by Williams.
Commons got his and Celtic’s second in the 52nd minute, a fine long pass from Wanyama found Lustig on the touchline, he found Commons in the box who turned his man and hammered the ball home. Stokes than had a shot saved, before a slip from a Hibs defender found Hooper free in the box, but instead of shooting he tried to set up Commons for his hat-trick and the chance eventually petered out. But the third goal wasn’t long in coming, a Ledley cross hitting off Lustig’s arm and going into the net.
Shortly after, the crowd erupted with news of St. Mirren taking the lead, as Celtic seemed moments away from becoming champions. Hooper then missed an absolute sitter from a couple of yards, before James McFadden’s late equaliser for Motherwell meant that the title would have to wait for another two weeks.
The stand out performers for Celtic on the day were the two goalscorers, Lustig and Commons. Lustig is always a miss when he’s injured, and he always performs well in the right-back role. His biggest problem seems to be his fitness, and he was taken off in the 69th minute yesterday, but presumably that was a precaution as he has only just returned. Thank goodness Commons wasn’t badly injured when he was taken off last week, as he is turning into our most vital player. His is the most creative player in the side by far and his sixteen goals this season have been vital as our strikers have been off the ball. It should be said that the recently much maligned defence played well, but they didn’t have much to deal with. The win should set us up nicely for next weekend’s Scottish Cup semi against Dundee United, but with our form at Hampden who knows…
Hoping for an end to the sluggish games of the last month. 🙂