| Match Pictures | Matches: 2004 – 2005 | 2004-2005 Pictures |
Trivia
- Celtic produced their best performance for some time to beat Hibs.
- Controversy when Bellamy refuses to shake hands with Hibs players at time up.
Review
Celtic got off to the best possible start with a goal from their first attack. The ball was slipped to Chris Sutton on the right and though his low ball into the six-yard box was missed by Hartson, Petrov was at the back post where he took a couple of touches before rifling the ball into the net.
Bellamy came close to notching his first league goal for his new side with a low drive from 12 yards that was goal-bound until Gary Smith deflected it wide for a corner.
Hibs were well below their best and they fell further behind after half-an-hour. Sutton was again the provider, this time from the left. His cross was glanced on by Bellamy to Hartson, who slid the ball past Simon Brown. The goal came at a cost though. Sutton pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury as he prepared to deliver the cross and was subsequently replaced by Aiden McGeady.
Douglas was smartly off his line to thwart Riordan early in the second half before Bellamy almost made it 3-0 with a shot on the turn that flew just over the bar. The Welshman did increase Celtic's lead after 69 minutes having been released by Alan Thompson's pass down the left. With Hibs appealing for offside, Bellamy rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the net.
But Hibs pulled a goal back in injury time, substitute Amadou Konte crossing for Beuzelin to cushion a shot past Douglas.
Teams
Hibernian:-
Simon Brown, Whittaker, Caldwell, Smith, Murphy, Orman (Beuzelin 45), Scott Brown, Ian Murray, Shiels, O'Connor (Sproule 81), Riordan (Konte 81).
Subs Not Used:- Alistair Brown, Fletcher, McDonald, McCluskey.
Goal:- Beuzelin 90.
Booked:- Caldwell, Ian Murray, Sproule.
Celtic:-
Douglas, McNamara, Balde, Varga, Laursen, Petrov, Lennon, Sutton (McGeady 32), Thompson (Fernandez 81), Hartson (Beattie 74), Bellamy.
Subs Not Used:- Marshall, Henchoz, Lambert, Wallace.
Goals:- Petrov 5, Hartson 31, Bellamy 69.
Booked:- Lennon, Balde.
Att:- 15,787
Ref:- K Clark.
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Hibernian 1-3 Celtic
BBC
Stilian Petrov and Neil Lennon celebrate the opening goal
O'Neill praises players
Mowbray philosophical in defeat
Celtic produced their best performance for some time to beat Hibs, reducing Rangers' lead at the top of the SPL.
Stilian Petrov put the visitors ahead with a coolly-taken goal from inside the six-yard box in the fifth minute.
John Hartson doubled the lead, sliding in to poke the ball past Simon Brown from a similar range.
Craig Bellamy raced onto Alan Thompson's pass to hit a low shot under the keeper before Guillaume Beuzelin volleyed in a consolation late on.
Celtic got off to the best possible start with a goal from their first attack.
The ball was slipped to Chris Sutton on the right and though his low ball into the six-yard box was missed by Hartson, Petrov was at the back post where he took a couple of touches before rifling the ball into the net.
Bellamy came close to notching his first league goal for his new side with a low drive from 12 yards that was goal-bound until Gary Smith deflected it wide for a corner.
Hibs were well below their best and they fell further behind after half-an-hour.
Sutton was again the provider, this time from the left. His cross was glanced on by Bellamy to Hartson, who slid the ball past Simon Brown.
The goal came at a cost though. Sutton pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury as he prepared to deliver the cross and was subsequently replaced by Aiden McGeady.
Derek Riordan passed up a terrific opportunity to reduce the deficit a few minutes later when he latched onto a short back-pass by Bobo Balde, only to see Rab Douglas get a hand to his low shot, allowing Stan Varga to get back to complete the clearance.
Douglas was smartly off his line to thwart Riordan again early in the second half before Bellamy almost made it 3-0 with a shot on the turn that flew just over the bar.
The Welshman did increase Celtic's lead after 69 minutes having been released by Alan Thompson's pass down the left. With Hibs appealing for offside, Bellamy rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the net.
McGeady hit a dipping shot just over the bar and Ulrik Laursen was denied by a last-ditch tackle as Celtic toyed with the home side in the closing stages.
But Hibs did pull a goal back in injury time, substitute Amadou Konte crossing for Beuzelin to cushion a shot past Douglas.
Hibernian: Simon Brown, Whittaker, Caldwell, Smith, Murphy, Orman (Beuzelin 45), Scott Brown, Ian Murray, Shiels, O'Connor (Sproule 81), Riordan (Konte 81).
Subs Not Used: Alistair Brown, Fletcher, McDonald, McCluskey.
Booked: Caldwell, Ian Murray, Sproule.
Goal: Beuzelin 90.
Celtic: Douglas, McNamara, Balde, Varga, Laursen, Petrov, Lennon, Sutton (McGeady 32), Thompson (Fernandez 81), Hartson (Beattie 74), Bellamy.
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Henchoz, Lambert, Wallace.
Booked: Lennon, Balde.
Goals: Petrov 5, Hartson 31, Bellamy 69.
Att: 15,787
Ref: K Clark
O'Neill heaps praise on players
BBC
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill
Hibs 1-3 Celtic
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill was gushing in his praise of his team and particularly Craig Bellamy after the 3-1 win over Hibs.
"We were terrific from start to finish. We created some magnificent chances, we took three and spurned at least three other good ones," said O'Neill.
"Bellamy was unplayable in the second half, fantastic.
"He got confidence from a couple of runs and the goal gave him a lift. Many players have pace but he can play too."