Maeda double leads Celtic past Hibs and into quarters

The Stand-in striker Daizen Maeda scored an early double as Celtic moved into the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory over Hibernian. Mykola Kuharevich pulled a goal back for Hibs before half-time, but the visitors paid the price for a poor attempt to play the ball out from the back as Nicolas Kuhn restored Celtic’s two-goal lead.
Maeda started up front after his Japan teammate Kyogo Furuhashi dropped out with the shoulder injury he suffered during Celtic’s 2-0 Premiership win over Hibs the previous weekend. Adam Idah started on the bench after his big-money move from Norwich.
Celtic took the lead inside four minutes, Reo Hatate making the difference with a run in behind. After being fed by Kuhn, the midfielder sent in a low cross which Maeda dinked over the Hibs keeper, Josef Bursik, after getting in front of Marvin Ekpiteta.
The hosts’ second goal came in the 15th minute when Maeda ran from deep on to Kuhn’s lofted pass, kept the ball away from Ekpiteta and stabbed it past the onrushing Bursik. Maeda came close to a hat-trick inside half an hour, sending a first-time left-footed volley just over after being teed up by Hatate.
Celtic were dominant, but Hibs found their way back into the game after Cameron Carter-Vickers was booked for a strong aerial challenge on Kuharevich. The Ukrainian striker got on the end of Martin Boyle’s free-kick unchallenged and sent an impressive header past Kasper Schmeichel.
The substitute Nicky Cadden had a shot saved by Schmeichel early in the second half, but Hibs handed Celtic a third goal in the 56th minute after being pressed when taking a short goal-kick. Ekpiteta was loose with his pass back to Bursik, and Kuhn raced in to charge down the goalkeeper’s attempted pass, with the ball ricocheting into the back of the net.
Matt O’Riley had a shot parried by Bursik and teed up Maeda to stab the ball into the hands of the keeper under pressure. Idah came on to a hero’s welcome but could not get a chance to open his account, while his fellow substitute Luis Palma missed the best opportunity for the home team to add to their lead.
Celtic will face Falkirk, who upset Hearts on Saturday, in the quarter-finals after the draw was made. Motherwell, extra-time winners over Kilmarnock on Sunday, will host Dundee United, who edged out St Mirren 1-0.
In the other last-eight ties, Rangers host Dundee while fourth-tier Spartans, who shocked Ross County on Saturday, will travel to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen.