Oh helps leaders Celtic finally quell 10-man Hibs

Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiership

Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu made a dramatic impact as Celtic finally overcame 10-man Hibernian to avoid a shock Scottish Premiership slip-up.

Jota's spot-kick levelled, but Celtic frustration grew amid incessant pressure until Oh netted late on.

Sead Haksabanovic added a third deep into injury time as the hosts restored their nine-point lead at the summit.

Hibs drop one spot to fifth after a second successive defeat, but their deficit on third-place Hearts remains five points.
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Celtic have now won their opening 15 home games of a league season for just the second time in their history, but only after a fraught afternoon that seemed to look straightforward when Youan was sent off just 24 minutes in.

The French forward's first yellow, for clattering Carl Starfelt, was clear cut. His second was far more dubious, with Youan falling backwards and grappling with Cameron Carter-Vickers when he stuck out a boot to the defender's lowered head.

Having shipped 10 goals in two meetings with Celtic this season - including a 6-1 shellacking on their previous visit to Glasgow's east end - Hibs may well have feared the worst a man down.

Yet they silenced the expectant home support when Starfelt needlessly grabbed a handful of Paul Hanlon's shirt at a corner despite the defender going away from goal.

VAR intervened, referee Steven McLean awarded the spot-kick after checking the pitchside monitor, and Campbell did the rest by sending Joe Hart the wrong way.

Starfelt had earlier thudded the bar with a header, while David Marshall brilliantly denied Kygo Furuhashi at 0-0, and Celtic lost Reo Hatate to injury in an incident-packed first half.

More drama soon followed. Having profited from a shirt pull at the other end, Hanlon turned culprit as he held back Carter-Vickers at a Celtic corner and the defender tumbled.

This time McLean gave the award without the need of VAR, and Jota's weak penalty squirmed under the body of Marshall, who will be disappointed not to have saved it.

Celtic set up camp in the Hibs half as they sought the second, but Oh sent a free header too high and CJ-Egan Riley made a brilliant goalline clearance after Kyogo beat Marshall to a through ball.

The pressure finally told as Oh rose to meet David Turnbull's corner with a header that flashed past Marshall, with the striker ripping off his shirt in frenzied celebrations to earn a booking.

Celtic had a penalty awarded and then rescinded after Liel Abada ran clear and collided with Marshall, but Haksabanovic came up with a curling finish to make sure of his side's 14th consecutive win in all competitions.

After a two-week international break, Celtic resume Premiership action on Sunday, 2 April at Ross County (12:00 GMT), while Hibs host Motherwell the previous day (15:00).