Hibernian put their midweek European disappointment behind them with a composed 2-1 win away to Dundee to kick off their Scottish Premiership campaign on a positive note.
David Gray’s men were narrowly knocked out of the Europa League qualifiers by Midtjylland on Thursday night, conceding a dramatic 119th-minute overhead kick in extra time.
But there were no signs of a hangover in their league opener.
The breakthrough came in the 28th minute when Kieron Bowie, alert in the box, pounced on a loose ball and drilled it low into the bottom corner.
Just three minutes later, he doubled Hibs’ lead. After Jordan Obita’s shot was parried by Dundee keeper Jon McCracken, Bowie calmly slotted home the rebound from close range.
At that stage, it looked like Hibs were in full control and cruising toward a comfortable win.
Dundee boss Steven Pressley, already under scrutiny following their poor Premier Sports Cup showing, could only watch anxiously from the sidelines.
However, the hosts were gifted a route back into the game through a defensive lapse.
Jack Iredale slipped at the back, allowing Ashley Hay to seize possession and cut the ball back for Fin Robertson, who finished neatly to make it 2-1.
Despite that lifeline, Dundee rarely looked like finding an equaliser.
Hibs continued to press for a third and came close when Josh Campbell found himself completely unmarked at the back post from a corner—but his header went straight at McCracken.
Expectations for Dundee were low before kick-off, and Pressley’s pre-match remarks didn’t exactly boost confidence.
“It’s been extremely challenging, and I’ve been open about that,” he told BBC Scotland.
“We’re still six players short. There’s a lot of recruitment to be done in the next month.”
He spoke candidly about how his initial plans had been overhauled due to the current squad’s limitations—comments that, while honest, painted a bleak picture.
It’s the kind of transparency supporters might admire in theory, but on the pitch, Dundee look short of answers.
With the season just underway, the Taysiders are already playing catch-up while their rivals gather momentum.
The standout figure was undoubtedly Kieron Bowie.
The Scotland international showcased sharp finishing and great awareness for both goals, and on another day, might have walked away with the match ball.
With the national team struggling for depth in the striker position, Bowie’s blend of strength, skill, and resilience—especially after recovering from injury—makes him one to watch.
If he continues this form, further international call-ups are likely.
Dundee head coach Steven Pressley: "We worked very hard. We did some good things defensively. We had a good shape around us. Gave away two disappointing goals in a time where I felt we'd settled into the game quite nicely.
"The big frustration was in possession we didn't show the belief, we turned the ball over unopposed at times when we could have made better choices."
Hibernian head coach David Gray: "It's all you can ask for, especially after the emotions of Thursday night and everything the players put into that.
"It was a real professional performance. The mentality and the character of the players was there for everyone to see. We responded in the best possible way.
"Everyone is looking at Hibs, how are we going to start the season? I think we answered a lot of questions today."
