Hibernian 0-0 Celtic: League leaders held to goalless draw

Hibernian 0-0 Celtic: League leaders held to goalless draw

Celtic captain Scott Brown holds off Hibernian's Stephane Omeonga

Celtic's Scottish Premiership lead stands at nine points as Hibernian held them to a goalless draw at Easter Road.

With four games remaining, Neil Lennon's side require four points to wrap up the title.

Hibs opened menacingly, creating a flurry of chances inside 15 minutes.

Home goalkeeper Ofir Marciano made two stoppage-time saves to deny Odsonne Edouard and Jozo Simunovic while Scott Bain did well to block an Oli Shaw shot inside the six-yard box.

Celtic are unbeaten in 14 league games but this was the third stalemate of Lennon's nine-match tenure in all competitions.

The hosts are yet to taste defeat in nine Premiership outings under Paul Heckingbottom and are five points behind fourth-placed Kilmarnock.

Celtic slow to get going as Marciano shines

Daryl Horgan was the Hibs hero in the Edinburgh derby, scoring both goals at Tynecastle, and the Irish winger was brimming with confidence in the opening stages.

His early shot was spilled by Bain before a fizzing cross was just inches away from a lunging Stephane Omeonga in front of goal. Omeonga then powered in a shot from distance that Bain needed to tip round the post.

A fine start from Hibs continued with Marc McNulty nodding into the path of Paul Hanlon, who controlled on his chest before firing a rising shot just over.

Celtic struggled to find any passing fluency but gradually began to see more of the ball and it took a fabulous, leaping save from Marciano to keep out a curling shot from Olivier Ntcham.

A sluggish second half was brightened up by another good stop from Marciano, who was at full stretch to keep out a free-kick from Edouard.

Soon after, the Celtic striker could only knock the ball over the top from close range, perhaps surprised when Darren McGregor failed to cut out a low cross from James Forrest. Tom Rogic then drilled a shot narrowly wide from 20 yards.

Cutting in from the left, Hibs substitute Shaw was set up with a great shooting chance but inexplicably elected to cut inside before surrendering possession, symptomatic of a match full of poor decision-making in the final third.

It looked like Shaw would make amends on 87 minutes but his stabbed effort inside the six-yard box was kept out by the leg of an advancing Bain.

The visitors pressed in the five minutes added to regulation time, with the impressive Marciano throwing up a hand to divert a strike from Edouard, then ensuring the points would be shared by pushing away a Simunovic header.

Hibs goalkeeper Ofir Marciano made four good saves to keep Celtic at bay

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