Hibernian 3 Celtic 2: Boruc clangers cost Celtic dear
The Celtic manager Gordon Strachan defended Artur Boruc after the goalkeeper's two errors allowed Hibernian to beat the Premier League champions at Easter Road yesterday.
The Pole was at fault for the first and third Hibs goals in their 3-2 victory, allowing Steven Fletcher's deflected strike to bounce past him and dropping Merouane Zemmama's shot to let Dean Shiels hit the winner. Aiden McGeady cancelled out Fletcher's early goal but Thierry Gathuessi gave Hibs a narrow half-time lead. Celtic equalised for a second time through Gary Caldwell before Shiels struck.
"I won't say anything to him," Strachan said. "They were two honest mistakes. We just have to get on with it and the boys nearly pulled him out of trouble.
"In the times we've been to Edinburgh against Hearts and Hibernian it's the best the team has played," he said. "What I'm seeing at the moment is what I want – energy, flair, variation. Am I going away a disappointed man? Yes."
Goals: Fletcher (5) 1-0; McGeady (26) 1-1; Gathuessi (41) 2-1; Caldwell (66) 2-2; Shiels (87) 3-2.
Hibernian (4-4-2): Kalambay; McCann (Zemmama, 74), Hogg, Jones, Murphy; Gathuessi, Beuzelin, Kerr, Stevenson (Morais, 30); Antoine-Curier, Fletcher (Shiels, 20). Substitutes not used: McNeil (gk), O'Brien, Joneleit, Campbell.
Celtic (4-4-2): Boruc; Perrier-Doumbe, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor; Hartley, S Brown, Donati (Riordan, 89), McGeady; Vennegoor of Hesselink, McDonald (Killen, 67). Substitutes not used: M Brown (gk), Zurawski, Sno, O'Brien, O'Dea.
Referee: A Freeland.
Booked: Hibernian Gathuessi, Antoine-Curier; Celtic McManus, Caldwell.
Man of the match: Shiels.
Attendance: 16,125.
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