Goalkeeper David Marshall produced an inspired performance as Hibernian defeated Aberdeen 2-0 at Easter Road to make it three wins on the spin.
Striker Dylan Vente set the hosts on their way with his first goal since September before Will Fish’s second-half header sealed the points and tightened the Edinburgh side’s grip on fifth spot in the cinch Premiership.
Hibs were indebted to former Scotland goalkeeper Marshall who pulled off a string of vital blocks, including a penalty save from Bojan Miovski as the frustrated Dons remained 10th in the table, just three points off the bottom.
Home boss Nick Montgomery made two tweaks to the side that started last weekend’s 2-1 win at Dundee as Rory Whittaker and Lewis Stevenson replaced Jordan Obita and the suspended Lewis Miller.
There were eight changes to Aberdeen the side that started Thursday’s Europa Conference League dead-rubber away to HJK Helsinki, with goalkeeper Kelle Roos plus centre-backs Slobodan Rubezic and Richard Jensen the only players to remain in the team that kicked off the 2-2 draw in Finland.
After a bright start from Hibs, Aberdeen grew into the game and Ester Sokler threatened twice from inside in the box, with his angled shot deflected behind before he sent an acrobatic attempt that went harmlessly wide.
The Dons were caught out in the 17th minute, however, as the hosts went ahead with some direct football. Rubezic failed to deal with a long ball up the centre of the pitch from Marshall, and Martin Boyle ran clear before drawing Roos and squaring it into the path of Vente, who slammed the ball into the empty net.
After a VAR check for a possible offside, the goal stood.
Hibs almost doubled their lead on the half-hour when Jair Tavares saw a shot from just inside the box charged down by Stefan Gartenmann after Hibs did well to create an opening.
Aberdeen tried to summon a response and both Jamie McGrath and Miovski were denied by brilliant saves from Marshall within the space of five minutes.
At the other end, Fish headed just wide from a Joe Newell free-kick moments before the interval.
Aberdeen dominated the early stages of the second half and spurned some golden opportunities to draw level.
Miovski had an effort ruled out following a foul on Marshall in the build-up before James McGarry blazed the ball over from inside the box after being played in on the left.
Marshall then did superbly to tip Miovski’s cushioned volley on to the inside of the post in the 63rd minute, before Fish slid in to clear the loose ball off the line just as Sokler looked set to force it home.
It proved a pivotal moment as Hibs doubled their advantage in the 70th minute when Fish headed in Boyle’s corner at the back post.
Aberdeen had a chance to get themselves back in the game seven minutes later when they were awarded a penalty after the ball struck Stevenson’s hand in the box but Marshall pulled off another crucial save as he got down to his right to push out Miovski’s spot-kick.
The goalkeeper continued to frustrate the Dons in the closing stages, with three more impressive saves to deny Jack Milne, Connor Barron and Leighton Clarkson.
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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