EDINBURGH, Scotland (Interstat) — In a frantic and ill-tempered Scottish Premiership match defined by two goals in as many minutes, Celtic held off a spirited challenge from Hibernian to secure a 2-1 victory at a rain-swept Easter Road on Sunday.

The result, which played out exactly as projected by the Interstat game simulator, keeps the pressure on the league leaders and extends Celtic’s impressive domestic form.

The game’s pivotal sequence arrived just before the half-hour mark, transforming the contest in an instant. In the 27th minute, Celtic’s Daizen Maeda broke the deadlock. The goal was set up by an assist from fellow substitute Liam Scales, who had entered the match earlier.

Hibernian’s response was immediate and stunning. Straight from the ensuing kickoff, the home side charged forward and leveled the score. Arne Engels, also introduced as a substitute, found the net just one minute after Maeda’s opener, sending the home support into a frenzy. The assist on the equalizer was credited to Martin Boyle.

The match was a physical affair, with the referee issuing six yellow cards. The cautions began in the 16th minute to Celtic’s Colby Donovan. The intensity boiled over in the 56th minute, when two yellow cards were issued simultaneously to Hibernian’s Jordan Obita and Celtic’s Kasper Schmeichel. Other players booked included Jamie McGrath and Miguel Chaiwa.

With the victory, Celtic improves its Premiership record to nine wins, one loss, and two draws this season, solidifying its position near the top of the table. Across all competitions, the Glasgow side now stands at 13 wins, four losses, and five draws.

Hibernian, despite the narrow defeat, showed resilience against one of Scotland’s top sides. The Easter Road club’s Premiership record moves to five wins, four losses, and four draws. Their overall record across all tournaments now sits at eight wins, nine losses, and seven draws.

The match was a reversal of the teams’ last meeting, which ended in a 0-0 stalemate in Glasgow on Sept. 27.

Celtic entered the match with significant momentum, having won their last two outings, including a 3-1 away victory at Feyenoord in a European contest just three days prior. Hibernian’s form had been mixed, following a 2-0 win over Dundee with a 2-0 loss to Motherwell in their previous fixture.

According to the Interstat ELO system, Celtic was the heavy favorite pre-match, carrying a 72.3 percent probability to win.

Looking ahead, Celtic faces a congested schedule. Their next match is at home against Dundee in the Premiership on Wednesday. They then host Heart of Midlothian FC on Sunday before a crucial UEFA Europa League fixture against AS Roma at home on Dec. 11.

Hibernian’s path forward sees them host Falkirk FC in the Premiership on Saturday, Dec. 6, before a difficult away match at Rangers on Monday, Dec. 15.