Motherwell cruised to a comfortable win over a struggling 10-man Hibernian side at Fir Park, pulling level on points with the Edinburgh club after a night the visitors will want to forget. Despite still clinging to third place in the Scottish Premiership, Hibs’ performance was riddled with errors and poor decisions.
Tawanda Maswanhise opened the scoring from the penalty spot after a handball by Grant Hanley, moving him top of the league’s scoring charts with eight goals. Moments later, Elijah Just pounced on disastrous Hibs defending to double the lead.
Hanley’s evening went from bad to worse when he was shown a red card for clipping Maswanhise just outside the penalty box—leaving Hibs’ already fragile defence exposed.
“It was 10 minutes of madness that changed everything,” one Motherwell player could be heard saying after the match.
Despite being outplayed, Hibs somehow had a chance to pull one back, but Martin Boyle’s weak effort—after rounding the keeper—was dramatically cleared off the line by Johnny Koutroumbis.
Motherwell continued to dominate after the break. Oscar Priestman rattled the post, Callum Slattery drilled a shot narrowly wide, and substitute Ibrahim Said earned a telling-off for showboating before striking into the side netting. Regan Charles-Cook also forced a sharp save from Raphael Sallinger in another silky attacking move.
Even though one more goal would have lifted Motherwell above Hibs in the table, Jens Berthel Askou’s side looked more interested in controlling the match than chasing the scoreline. With four wins from five and a game in hand, momentum is firmly on their side.
Hibs Collapse Again as Motherwell Shine
Askou, rising quickly in reputation, rotated heavily from the weekend’s win over Kilmarnock—making five changes and even opting to play without a traditional striker. Despite that, Motherwell’s energy, structure and confidence shone throughout the night.
Their pressing, passing flow and ability to shut down Hibs’ wing-backs were all key factors. Still, many of the goals stemmed directly from Hibs’ sloppy play—not tactical brilliance alone. Both Jack Iredale and Nicky Cadden gifted possession cheaply in the build-up to the two goals.
Hibs also felt the penalty was harsh, especially after last week’s baffling non-award at Ibrox. Even so, Hanley’s handball—confirmed after a VAR review—proved costly.
Boyle’s unbelievable miss summed up Hibs’ evening as Motherwell’s discipline and bravery on the ball stood in stark contrast to the visitors’ chaos.
“Confidence is running through us right now,” Askou said. “The first 30 minutes were outstanding to watch.”
Meanwhile, David Gray cut a frustrated figure.
“Everything that could go wrong did,” the Hibs boss admitted. “We were slow, sloppy, and punished for it.”
Motherwell’s fans left Fir Park delighted—while Hibs were left searching for answers after a night defined by errors and missed opportunities.
Also Read: Newcastle Left Reeling After ‘10 Minutes of Madness’ in Marseille
