Sport nationCeltic vs. Hibernian: Scottish League Cup Second Round Preview
Celtic Park is set to host an exciting Scottish League Cup second-round clash between Celtic and Hibernian on Sunday afternoon. The two teams met just last week in the Scottish Premiership, with Celtic emerging victorious 2-0 in Edinburgh. Now, they face off again in the League Cup, with Celtic seeking to continue their strong form and Hibernian looking to bounce back from their poor start to the season.
Celtic have been in impressive form, winning all six of their matches this season, including their opening two Premiership fixtures against Kilmarnock and Hibernian. They have scored 12 goals in those six matches, conceding none, and will be confident of success against Hibernian in front of their own fans. The Hoops have a strong record in the League Cup, having won the competition 21 times, including seven in the last 10 years.
Hibernian, on the other hand, have struggled this season, losing their opening two Premiership matches against St Mirren and Celtic. They failed to score in either match and conceded five goals, leaving them at the bottom of the table. However, they have performed better in the League Cup, winning three out of four matches to top Group C and advance to the second round.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is expected to make some changes to his lineup for the match, with winger Mikey Johnston ruled out due to a facial injury. Forward Daizen Maeda is in contention to play after recovering from a knee injury, while Matt O’Riley is expected to feature despite being linked with a move away from the club. Adam Idah could also make his debut after signing a permanent deal with Celtic earlier this week.
Hibernian head coach David Gray will be without attacking duo Elie Youan and Junior Hoilett, who are both recovering from injury. Celtic loanee Kwon Hyeok-Kyu is ineligible to face his parent club, but Nicky Cadden is ready to make his debut and could replace Rudi Molotnikov on the left flank.
The match is expected to be a routine victory for Celtic, who have dominated Hibernian in recent meetings. However, Hibernian will be looking to cause an upset and advance to the next round of the League Cup.
In other news, Celtic have confirmed the signing of Adam Idah from Norwich City for a fee of £9.5m. The 22-year-old striker has signed a five-year deal with the club and is expected to be a key player this season.
Celtic are also reportedly interested in signing midfielder Matt O’Riley on a permanent deal, despite him being linked with a move away from the club. O’Riley has been impressive for Celtic this season, scoring two goals in six matches, and the club are keen to tie him down to a long-term contract.
Hibernian, meanwhile, are looking to strengthen their squad after a poor start to the season. They have been linked with a move for striker Christian Doidge, who is currently playing for Kilmarnock.
The match between Celtic and Hibernian kicks off at 3 pm UK time on Sunday afternoon. It promises to be an exciting encounter, with Celtic seeking to continue their strong form and Hibernian looking to cause an upset.
Amina Umar
Sport nation