STAND-IN STRIKER DAIZEN Maeda scored an early double as Celtic moved into the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory over Hibernian.
Mykola Kuharevich pulled a goal back for Hibs before half-time, but the visitors paid the price for a poor attempt to play the ball out from the back as Nicolas Kuhn restored Celtic’s two-goal lead.
Maeda started up front after Japan team-mate Kyogo Furuhashi dropped out with the shoulder injury he suffered during Celtic’s 2-0 win over Hibs the previous weekend. Adam Idah started on the bench following his big-money move from Norwich.
Hibs held out only 60 seconds longer than in the league match as Celtic took the lead inside four minutes.
Reo Hatate made the difference with a run in behind and, fed by Kuhn, the midfielder sent in a low cross which Maeda dinked over Josef Bursik after getting in front of Marvin Ekpiteta.
The second goal came in the 15th minute when Maeda ran from deep on to Kuhn’s lofted pass, kept the ball away from Ekpiteta and stabbed it past the onrushing Bursik.
Maeda came close to a hat-trick inside half-an-hour when he sent a first-time left-footed volley just over after being teed up by Hatate.
Celtic were dominant, but Hibs found their way back into the game after Cameron Carter-Vickers was booked for a strong aerial challenge on Kuharevich. The unchallenged Lithuanian striker got on the end of Martin Boyle’s free-kick to send an impressive header past Kasper Schmeichel.
James Forrest had a penalty claim rejected when he burst in between Ekpiteta and Joe Newell and went down. Referee Kevin Clancy gave a corner before VAR Andrew Dallas backed his decision.
Substitute Nicky Cadden had a shot saved by Schmeichel early in the second half, but Hibs gifted Celtic a third goal in the 56th minute after being pressed when taking a short goal-kick.
Ekpiteta was loose with his pass back to Bursik and Kuhn raced in to charge down the goalkeeper’s attempted pass and the ball ricocheted into the back of the net.
Ekpiteta was soon substituted after a miserable afternoon and the contest was effectively over.
Matt O’Riley had a shot parried by Bursik and teed up Maeda to stab the ball into the hands of the keeper under pressure.
Idah came on to a hero’s welcome but could not get a chance to open his account, while fellow substitute Luis Palma missed the best opportunity for the home team to add to their lead.
Liam Scales also played the full game for the Hoops. Mikey Johnston was absent from the matchday squad.
Elsewhere in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals today, Jim Goodwin’s Dundee United beat St Mirren 1-0 and Motherwell were late winners against Kilmarnock. Rangers defeated St Johnstone yesterday.
