Hibernian 1-1 Celtic Match Report
During the match between Hibernian and Celtic, there was some physicality in the penalty area when Nygren went down following a challenge from Josh Campbell. After the ball went out of play, Maeda kicked the ball towards Campbell, who reacted angrily and was subsequently shown a yellow card for confronting Maeda.
Celtic took a corner which was cleared to Callum McGregor. He attempted a right-footed shot, but it lacked power and was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Jordan Smith.
Second Half: Hibernian 1-1 Celtic
Half Time: Hibernian 1-1 Celtic
Hibernian managed to equalize just before half time despite being down to ten men. Although Celtic dominated the match until that point, Hibernian now had a goal to build on going into the second half.
Goal Details
At 45+3 minutes, Hibernian won a free kick and delivered the ball into the box. After a series of headers, Joe Newell poked the ball into the net. There was some debate over whether the ball made contact with his hand before scoring, but after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was allowed.
Celtic had taken the lead at 42 minutes through Maeda. The team executed a series of give-and-go passes before Alistair Johnston crossed the ball into the six-yard box, where Maeda tapped it in. Although the linesman initially flagged for offside, the goal was confirmed after video review.
Match Progress
Hibernian struggled to maintain possession and needed to find an outlet to relieve Celtic's pressure. Despite Celtic's dominance, they had not capitalized on their possession due to a lack of a decisive final pass.
Johnston attempted a long-range shot that went wide. Nygren tested goalkeeper Smith with a shot that lacked sufficient power to beat him. Maeda had a significant chance when he received a through ball and outran defender Rocky Bushiri but shot wide of the target.
Red Card Incident
At 21 minutes, Jamie McGrath was sent off for a late sliding tackle on Johnston, catching him above the ankle. The decision was clear, and McGrath had no grounds for complaint.
Celtic players were winning most second balls. McGrath also received a yellow card for a challenge on Johnston, but the referee was instructed to review the incident further.
Despite Celtic's dominance, they had not yet punished Hibernian's ten men. There was a half-hearted penalty appeal when Maeda went down under a goalkeeper challenge. Maeda also missed a chance by shooting over the bar when through on goal.
Celtic created the first clear chance of the game when Maeda pressured defenders and won the ball deep in Hibernian's half. Yang Hyun-Jun collected it and cut the ball back to Benjamin Nygren, whose shot was blocked.
Kick Off: Hibernian v Celtic
Updates are being provided live from the Hibernian versus Celtic match.
In an unusual scenario, Hearts fans are supporting Hibernian against Celtic at noon, while Celtic supporters hope Rangers defeat Hearts tomorrow.
In Serie A, Inter Milan requires only a point against Parma to secure the Scudetto following Napoli’s goalless draw with Como.
In La Liga, Barcelona could clinch the title if Real Madrid fail to beat Espanyol. Barcelona recently defeated Osasuna 2-1 with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
Nick Wayne shared a message:
"Please survive the trip to Villa, and I hope Millwall make it. What a clash that will be. Unfortunately most likely to be in the Championship. COYS."
Elmore Ziser-Anderson predicted:
"Liverpool to win 3-2. Isak scores twice and van Dijk scores a last minute header."
However, Alexander Isak is reportedly sidelined with a groin strain.
Manchester United will face Liverpool at 3:30pm. Although the fixture lacks its traditional intensity, both clubs are currently third and fourth in the league, making it significant for Champions League qualification. Fans are invited to share their predictions.
Watford have dismissed their head coach Ed Still.
In the Premier League, Bournemouth will host Crystal Palace at 2pm. Both teams are performing above expectations, sitting eighth and fourteenth respectively. Jonathan Wilson has written an analysis of managers Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner.
League Two Summary
Bromley secured the League Two title for the first time after a 3-1 victory over Walsall on the final day. MK Dons narrowly missed out on the championship following a 1-1 draw with Fleetwood. Cambridge earned promotion to League One with a goalless draw against Crewe.
Barrow and Harrogate were relegated. Newport defeated Barrow 2-1 with late goals from Thomas Davies and Bobby Kamwa. Barnet beat Harrogate 2-1 thanks to a late goal from Philip Chinedu.
Salford, Notts County, Chesterfield, and Grimsby Town qualified for the playoffs. The fixtures are:
- Chesterfield vs Notts County (10th May)
- Notts County vs Chesterfield (15th May)
Thank you, Emillia. Stay tuned for updates on today’s major matches and reactions from yesterday’s EFL finale.
The live blog will now be handed over to Xaymaca Awoyungbo for continued coverage.
League One and Championship Updates
Lincoln City finished as League One champions, with Cardiff City securing the second automatic promotion spot.
Stockport County, Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers, and Stevenage qualified for the playoffs. Exeter City, Port Vale, Rotherham United, and Northampton Town were relegated.
Hull City’s head coach Sergej Jakirovic described their playoff qualification as an "unbelievable" achievement after a 2-1 comeback win against Norwich. Oli McBurnie scored in both halves, helping Hull surpass Wrexham and Derby to secure a top-six finish.
"It’s a big success. To achieve this in my first season at the club is unbelievable, it’s massive for me and the club – especially in these circumstances. This is a sweet feeling."
Sheffield Wednesday recorded their first Championship home win of the season, beating West Brom 2-1. This victory erased their 18-point deduction. New owner David Storch addressed fans before kickoff and confirmed the club would start next season in League One without any points deduction.
Southampton extended their unbeaten Championship run to 19 matches, finishing fourth with a 3-1 win over Preston at Deepdale. Taylor Harwood-Bellis opened the scoring with a header, Ross Stewart doubled the lead, Lewis Dobbin scored for Preston, but Cyle Larin sealed the win in stoppage time.
Leicester City, relegated to League One, ended their campaign with a 1-0 win over Blackburn thanks to a late goal from Stephy Mavididi. Manager Gary Rowett expressed his desire to remain in charge next season.
"I think there’s going to be some big decisions and it’s going to need someone, in my opinion, brave enough to make those decisions. The team needs to look very different. The culture needs to look very different. But it’s a great opportunity so of course I’d like that opportunity."
Coventry City celebrated their Championship title with a 4-0 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road. Ellis Simms scored a hat-trick and Viktor Torp added a powerful strike. Manager Frank Lampard encouraged fans to remain excited about upcoming squad developments.
"The club has to do the hard work and the owner has said that he wants to talk about that from next week. It’s a special story this year and this is right up there in the amount of pleasure I have had in football."
Swansea City finished their season with a 3-1 home win against Charlton, with Adam Idah scoring twice after coming off the bench.
Sheffield United staged a second-half comeback to defeat Derby 2-1 at Pride Park, ending Derby’s playoff hopes. Derby led at halftime through Sam Szmodics, but Tom Cannon and Sydie Peck scored for Sheffield United.
Portsmouth played out a 1-1 draw with Birmingham, with Adrian Segecic continuing his strong end-of-season form.
Roy Hodgson ended his interim managerial spell at Bristol City with a 2-0 win over Stoke, thanks to goals from Delano Burgzorg and substitute Sam Bell. Hodgson indicated this might be his final match as a manager but did not rule out future opportunities.
"If someone says ‘we need you to do a job’ and I think I can then maybe, but it’s a long shot. I am certainly not going to be putting my name out there because there are lots of managers and coaches needing jobs. The game has been very kind to me and I don’t need the work anymore. It’s nice to go out on a win."
In the Championship, Ipswich Town secured promotion to the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Queens Park Rangers at Portman Road. They will join Coventry City in the top division next season.
One of Millwall, Southampton, Middlesbrough, or Hull City will also gain promotion via the playoffs.
Oxford United, Leicester City, and Sheffield Wednesday will be relegated to League One.
Arsenal Women’s Champions League Semi-Final
Following Arsenal Women’s semi-final defeat, head coach Renée Slegers commented on Lyon’s performance:
"Lyon raised their levels today. They came out really strong. They had Selma Bacha and Melchie Dumornay back in the side, who are world class players. They were really effective in certain moments. It was a very tight game, small margins, it’s a semi-final in the Champions League. It was tight, very disappointing for us of course. They were the better team."
Arsenal Women lost the second leg 4-3 on aggregate to Lyon after leading 2-1 going into the match. Lyon will face either Barcelona or Bayern Munich in the final later this month.
Premier League Title Race and Recent Matches
The question remains on the direction of the Premier League title race. Can Arsenal maintain their lead, or will Manchester City capitalize under pressure?
A Chelsea supporter acknowledged Arsenal’s resilience and character recently, suggesting Arsenal are favorites for the title, with pressure now on Manchester City.
Sunderland were held to a 1-1 draw by Wolves at Molineux, with the main talking point being Dan Ballard’s red card for a hair pull on Tolu Arokodare.
Newcastle secured a 3-1 victory over Brighton with goals from Will Osula, Dan Burn, and Harvey Barnes, easing pressure on manager Eddie Howe.
Relegation Battle and Standings
Tottenham needs a strong performance today to capitalize on West Ham’s recent slip. West Ham lost 3-0 to Brentford and may enter the relegation zone if Tottenham defeats Aston Villa.
Comments on West Ham’s performance indicated a lack of fight, which was deemed unacceptable given the circumstances.
Fans look forward to the Manchester United vs Liverpool match, which could see Liverpool move to third or fifth place, with either outcome not disastrous but surpassing United being preferable.
Premier League Table and Arsenal’s Momentum
Following Arsenal’s significant 3-0 win against Fulham, Mikel Arteta praised his team’s performance and urged them to carry the positive momentum into the upcoming Champions League semi-final against Atlético Madrid.
"It says to us and toward our dressing room that we keep the dream alive. What these guys have done, not now, but throughout the season to win that many games is remarkable. Because I think it’s going to help on Tuesday. What we want now is to use that momentum, energy and belief towards Tuesday.
"This was a critical game. We know the importance of the win and the manner that we’ve done it and the goal difference in the league and because this game was going to carry a lot of energy towards the next game, which is one of the biggest in the history of this stadium. We’re going to try to make it happen."
Asked if the first-half performance against Fulham was Arsenal’s best of the season, Arteta responded: "It certainly was one of the best. We talked about hunger, about having the ability to focus and be so determined on what we had to do."
Arsenal’s 3-0 victory moved them six points clear at the top of the Premier League table. This was their first win by more than two goals since a 2-0 Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen on March 17. Viktor Gyökeres scored twice and Bukayo Saka added a goal.
Manchester City, with two games in hand, must defeat Everton away to keep pace with Arsenal.
Matchday Preview
Good morning and welcome to another Matchday live. This afternoon features three fixtures, including the high-profile Manchester United versus Liverpool match and a crucial Tottenham versus Aston Villa game. Bournemouth will also host Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium.
There is much to recap from yesterday as the Championship, League One, and League Two seasons concluded.
All updates and analysis will be provided throughout the day.
