Celtic Vs Hibernian: Kai Andrews' 87th‑minute strike hands Celtic a costly home defeat
The celtic vs hibernian fixture produced a late twist as substitute Kai Andrews fired an 87th‑minute winner to give Hibernian a 2-1 victory at Celtic Park. The result is significant now because it hands Martin O'Neill his first domestic defeat since returning to the club and stretches Celtic six points behind league leaders Hearts.
Celtic Vs Hibernian: Andrews nets winner at Celtic Park
Hibernian took the lead through Felix Passlack, who headed Nicky Cadden’s cross into the net after 24 minutes, and Benjamin Nygren levelled on the stroke of half‑time with his 18th goal of the season, diving to head Kieran Tierney’s cross into the bottom of the net in first‑half stoppage time. Celtic then played the closing stages with 10 men after Auston Trusty was sent off in the 73rd minute following a VAR review for an off‑the‑ball incident that saw him pull Jamie McGrath’s arm while the pair lined up for a corner. With Celtic reduced to 10, substitute Kai Andrews — a former Motherwell midfielder — struck from the edge of the box in the 87th minute for what was described as the first goal of the 19‑year‑old’s career and Hibernian’s first win at Celtic Park in 16 years.
Martin O’Neill, Trusty and the match turning points
Martin O’Neill suffered his first domestic defeat since returning to the club as a direct consequence of the sending‑off: Celtic had to play the final 17 minutes with 10 men and could not convert sustained pressure into a second‑half equaliser. Reported chances went begging — Tomas Cvancara and Hyun‑Jun Yang both passed up clear opportunities — and James Forrest came close after the dismissal but could not force a breakthrough. The red card for Auston Trusty is his second in seven games, which leaves the club considering an appeal ahead of their next fixture, with the possibility that he will miss the Old Firm trip to Ibrox if the dismissal stands.
Rangers and Livingston: late drama yields a 2-2 draw
Elsewhere, Rangers surrendered a 2-0 lead and had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Livingston. Brooklyn Kabongolo opened the scoring for Livingston with a volley in the 14th minute and Lewis Smith doubled the advantage in the 55th. Cristian Montano was sent off around the hour by referee Ryan Lee for denying Djeidi Gassama a goalscoring opportunity, and Rangers responded: Emmanuel Fernandez struck from the edge of the box in the 81st minute and Mikey Moore nodded home from a James Tavernier cross with two minutes remaining. A lengthy VAR check deep into added time over a Cammy Kerr tackle on Moore, at the edge of the box, came to nothing and Livingston held on during nine minutes of added time.
Hearts, Motherwell and the shifting title picture
Hearts got their title push moving again with a 1-0 win at Tynecastle against Falkirk, the deadlock broken just before half‑time by January signing Islam Chesnokov, who lashed home his first goal for the club. Motherwell also registered an emphatic win, and that combination of results tightened the top of the table: Celtic now trail leaders Hearts by six points, while Rangers sit four points behind the leaders with 10 fixtures remaining. Analysis of fixtures shows Motherwell could move to one point behind Celtic and three behind Rangers before Celtic and Rangers play each other, and commentators have warned that it is conceivable Motherwell could finish above either Glasgow side if the current run continues.
Manager and player reactions from Parkhead and West Lothian
Hibs head coach David Gray hailed the win as "a massive three points, " noting the result followed a positive performance against St Mirren and that the club remain "five points behind Motherwell" but still have meetings with them twice. Livingston manager Marvin Bartley described the match against Rangers as "a real rollercoaster of emotions, " saying his side looked comfortable at 2-0 until the sending off and that the players gave him everything. Rangers head coach Danny Röhl criticised late decisions around Mikey Moore's tackle, calling the incident a clear foul that involved two crucial calls which affected the outcome.
Reaction beyond the teams and broadcast details
Former Hearts and Hibs midfielder Michael Stewart offered a blunt take on the state of the Glasgow sides, pointing out that Motherwell’s and Hearts’ wins apply fresh pressure and saying the two teams from Glasgow had buckled under that pressure. Fan commentary amplified that message, with some vocal criticism aimed at Martin O’Neill’s assessment of his team’s performance and at Auston Trusty in particular. Viewers can catch highlights on the evening programme Sportscene, with a highlights bulletin scheduled on the Scotland broadcast at 19: 15.
What makes this notable is how a single moment — Trusty’s red card — altered the dynamic at Celtic Park, opening the door for Andrews and reshaping the title race as Hearts and Motherwell capitalise on dropped points by the Glasgow clubs.
