Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers ended his Easter Road hoodoo by securing his first victory against Hibernian in Leith thanks to a last-gasp penalty winner yesterday evening.
The Irishman won’t care how his side claimed three points; however, he will be mindful that their performance level needs to improve if they are to become Scottish Premiership champions.
Adam Idah was the hero for the visitors on the night, dispatching two spot-kicks under immense pressure on either side of Dylan Levitt’s excellent leveller.
Digging deep to grind out results is the hallmark of a successful team, and the Bhoys found a way to win despite riding their luck for much of the second 45.
Former England international Joe Hart let his experience shine through, making several important stops to quell Hibernian’s offensive efforts.
One sour note from the affair emerged early on as Alistair Johnston was withdrawn due to a head knock after winning the first penalty nine minutes in.
Nevertheless, Celtic had to win last night to keep themselves in a strong position to win the league title come May.
Brendan Rodgers says Celtic showed ‘champions’ mentality
Rodgers managed to guide Celtic to a potentially transformative three points in Edinburgh, which he will have to try and use as a turning point amid a spate of poor recent displays from his side.
In his post-match press conference, the 51-year-old expressed his delight at the end result and claimed the Bhoys showed the required mentality needed to become league champions.
He stated [BBC Scotland]: “Winning was never going make us champions tonight, but with 14 games to go it’s very important you get the victories. First half we had control, we got a great start so early with good moments.
“Second half we didn’t play great, Hibs deserve credit, they pressed on to the game. Too many times, we played backwards. But the team showed the mentality of champions.”
Celtic have 13 games to prove their title credentials
Unlike previous years, Celtic have a genuine challenge on their hands for this campaign’s title and were neck-and-neck with Rangers until they opened up a three-point gap at the summit yesterday.
Neither Rodgers nor anyone else can control what happens elsewhere, and honing in on perfecting their craft should be the only priority at Parkhead between now and the end of the season.
Now, 13 games stand between the Bhoys and their Scottish Premiership fate, making for a chaotic end-of-season run-in.
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