2001-02-25: Celtic 1-1 Hibernian, SPL

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Trivia

  • A late equaliser by on loan striker Marc Libbra handed Hibs a point at Celtic Park.
  • Celtic dominated in the early stages and looked a good bet to hold on to the lead given to them in 23 minutes by Johan Mjallby.

Review

Celtic began the match in the manner of a side that has won all of its home games in the league this season, with Hibs hardly getting a look in.

The width provided by Didier Agathe down the right and Alan Thompson on the left meant that Hibs were under pressure from all angles. It was that pair that combined for the game's first real opportunity, the latter's free kick reaching the former's boot via the head of Ramon Vega, but Agathe blasted the ball wide.

The opening stages were all Celtic and Stilian Petrov went close with a drive from the edge of the box before Henrik Larsson had a header tipped over.

It was no real surprise when Celtic took the lead midway through the first half, though the manner in which it was lost must have angered Hibs boss Alex McLeish. HIbs conceded a completely needless corner and when the ball came in Larsson easily shrugged off marker Gary Smith. Stuart Lovell somehow got back to clear off the line but he and keeper Nick Colgan were helpless to prevent the unmarked Johan Mjallby tap into the empty net.

Petrov should have doubled Celtic's lead but he ****** his shot with only Colgan to beat.

Ulrik Laursen found himself with a couple of decent opportunities but they came to nothing.

Henrik Larsson brought out a tremendous save from Colgan midway through the second period when he latched on to a long through ball. The Swede was then stopped in his tracks by a terrific saving tackle by Lovell after Sutton had played him in.

Just as it looked as though Celtic had the points in the bag, a moment of slackness in defence was punished by substitute Marc Libbra. The Frenchman nipped in between two defenders and kept his composure to slide the ball past Douglas.

Teams

Celtic:-
Douglas, Boyd, Mjallby, Vega, Agathe, Lambert (Moravcik 87), Lennon, Petrov, Thompson, Sutton, Larsson.
Subs not used:- Gould, Johnson, Tebily, Crainey.
Goal:- Mjallby 23.
Booked:- Lennon.

Hibernian:-
Colgan, Sauzee (Murray 78), Fenwick, Gary Smith, Lovell, Brebner, Jack, O'Neil, Laursen, Lehmann (Libbra 71), Zitelli.
Subs not used:- Franks, McManus, Bannerman.
Goal:- Libbra 84.
Booked:- Gary Smith, O'Neil, Fenwick.

Att:- 60,063
Ref:- S Dougal.

Articles

Pictures

Sunday, 25 February, 2001, 20:28 GMT

Libbra restores balance for Hibs

BBC
Celtic 1-1 Hibernian

A late equaliser by on loan striker Marc Libbra handed Hibs a point at Celtic Park.

The home side had dominated in the early stages and looked a good bet to hold on to the lead given to them in 23 minutes by Johan Mjallby.

Hibs slowly came back into the game but never really threatened the Celtic goal.

But substitute Libbra had not read the script and he punished some slack defending with an equaliser six minutes from time.

Celtic began the match in the manner of a side that has won all of its home games in the league this season, with Hibs hardly getting a look in.

The width provided by Didier Agathe down the right and Alan Thompson on the left meant that Hibs were under pressure from all angles.

It was that pair that combined for the game's first real opportunity, the latter's free kick reaching the former's boot via the head of Ramon Vega, but Agathe blasted the ball wide.

The opening stages were all Celtic and Stilian Petrov went close with a drive from the edge of the box before Henrik Larsson had a header tipped over.

It was no real surprise that the home side took the lead midway through the first half, though the manner in which it was lost must have angered Hibs boss Alex McLeish.

HIbs conceded a completely needless corner and when the ball came in Larsson easily shrugged off marker Gary Smith.

Stuart Lovell somehow got back to clear off the line but he and keeper Nick Colgan were helpless to prevent the unmarked Johan Mjallby tap into the empty net.

Petrov should have doubled Celtic's lead but he ****** his shot with only Colgan to beat.

Hibs at last started to look like themselves in the last quarter-of-an-hour of the first half and they had a reasonable penalty claim for a handball against Vega.

Ulrik Laursen found himself with a couple of decent opportunities but they came to nothing.

Hibs continued where they left off at the beginning of the second half but there was little to trouble Celtic keeper Rab Douglas although Franck Sauzee did have a long-range effort comfortably held.

Henrik Larsson brought out a tremendous save from Colgan midway through the second period when he latched on to a long through ball.

The Swede was then stopped in his tracks by a terrific saving tackle by Lovell after Sutton had played him in.

Just as it looked as though Celtic had the points in the bag, a moment of slackness in defence was punished by substitute Marc Libbra.

The Frenchman nipped in between two defenders and kept his composure to slide the ball past Douglas.

Celtic: Douglas, Boyd, Mjallby, Vega, Agathe, Lambert, Lennon, Petrov, Thompson, Sutton, Larsson.

Subs: Gould, Johnson, Tebily, Moravcik, Crainey.

Hibernian: Colgan, Sauzee, Fenwick, Gary Smith, Lovell, Brebner, Jack, O'Neil, Laursen, Lehmann, Zitelli.

Subs: Franks, Libbra, Murray, McManus, Bannerman.

Referee: Stuart Dougal