Hibernian did what Bayern Munich could not as Josh Campbell’s first-half double earned David Gray’s in-form side a stirring 2-1 home win over William Hill Premiership leaders Celtic.
The Hoops were widely lauded for their display in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw in the Allianz Arena as they exited the Champions League after conceding in stoppage time to the German giants.
But Brendan Rodgers’ team were brought back to earth as they suffered only a second domestic defeat of the season at the hands of a Hibs side now unbeaten in 13 matches and tightening their grip on a top-six spot after a dire start to the season.
Campbell did the damage with goals at the start and end of the first half before the hosts had to withstand a second-half onslaught in which Daizen Maeda pulled one back and then had a late effort ruled out.
Hibs boss Gray made three changes following Sunday’s 0-0 draw at St Mirren, with midfielder Nathan Moriah-Welsh given his first start in six months and striker Kieron Bowie starting his first match for the club after being plagued by injury since joining from Fulham last summer.
There were also three changes to the Celtic XI that started in Munich as Greg Taylor, Luke McCowan and Adam Idah replaced Jeffrey Schlupp, Reo Hatate and Jota.
While it took Bayern until almost the last kick of the game to score against the Scottish champions, Hibs required less than two minutes.
Hoops defender Auston Trusty was drawn into the opposition half for a duel with Bowie and as the hosts worked the ball into the middle, Nectar Triantis drove forward and slipped the ball into the space left by the out-of-position centre-back, allowing Campbell to dart in and drill low past the exposed Kasper Schmeichel from just inside the box.
The hosts – who had not lost since their previous meeting with Celtic on December 7 – threatened a second in the ninth minute when Bowie saw ferocious shot beaten away by Schmeichel from 15 yards out.
Celtic were struggling to get their game going, although McCowan almost caught out goalkeeper Jordan Smith with an inswinging cross from the right before Taylor blazed a half-volley harmlessly over.
Alistair Johnston was denied by an excellent save from Smith after running on to Nicolas Kuhn’s perfectly weighted pass.
Idah then blew a big opportunity on the counter-attack when he took too long to pick a pass to either Kuhn or Maeda, both of whom were unmarked, allowing Bowie to dash back and snuff out the danger.
Hibs doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time when Campbell met an inswinging cross from Martin Boyle eight yards out and sent a downward header in at Schmeichel’s right-hand post. The goal was eventually allowed to stand after a lengthy VAR check for offside.
Celtic boss Rodgers responded by making a triple change for the start of the second half, reverting to the team that started in Munich with Schlupp, Hatate and Jota on for Taylor, McCowan and Idah.
The visitors got themselves back in the game in the 68th minute when Smith was slow to react after Hatate sliced his shot from the edge of the area up in the air and as it dropped towards the six-yard box Maeda nipped in to the prod the ball beyond the hesitant keeper.
Celtic cranked up the pressure in search of an equaliser and Rocky Bushiri had to make a goal-line block from Jota after he danced round Smith in the 76th minute.
The hosts had another huge let-off in the 83rd minute when Maeda fired home from a Johnston cutback but – following a VAR check – the ball was deemed to have run out of play before the Canadian delivered it.
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