BIG game. Big call. Big player. Big performance.

Ange Postecoglou has the first trophy of his Celtic reign, and it was his decision to throw his star striker Kyogo into the line-up that proved decisive, with the Japanese international coming up with a delightful double to see off Hibernian and claim the silverware.

Postecoglou had said prior to the game that it wasn’t a gamble to throw Kyogo into the line-up after the hamstring injury that has kept him out of the matches against Motherwell and Ross County. If it was a roll of the dice though, it paid off and then some.

His two goals – the first to equalise Hibernian’s opener through Paul Hanlon immediately, the second the crucial winner – were an exhibition in everything that makes Kyogo great to watch, and why his manager has been vindicated in claiming Scottish football is fortunate to have such a talent in our midst.

Lightning fast movement, deft close control, wonderful technical ability, unerringly calm finishing. Kyogo has got the lot, and that intoxicating combination was too much for the punch-drunk Hibs defence to contain.

The fog that has hung around the west of Scotland this weekend may have been concerning referee John Beaton prior to kick-off, but it was nothing compared to the green mist that hung densely over Hampden following the pre-match pyrotechnics from both ends of the stadium.

Through the haze you could just about make out the distinctive blonde mop of Kyogo, who Celtic fans were watching with no little apprehension. He was moving freely in the opening stages though, making good runs as the ball was shuttled wide, alas for crosses that never arrived.

For all Celtic’s domination of the ball in the opening stages, they couldn’t really find a way to involve their striker in the game. Mikey Johnston was getting acres of space from Paul McGinn, but always preferred to drift inside, whereas Liel Abada wasn’t producing much from the right.

The closest he came to a chance was when he almost got on the end of Carl Starfelt’s flick from a David Turnbull corner as he stole in at the back post, but the bounce of the ball took it over his head.

One of his main potential providers in Turnbull was forced from the action shortly afterwards, pulling up clutching his hamstring – what else? – as he played a through ball to Johnston.

His replacement, Nir Bitton, tried to assume the role, slipping a pass into the path of one of Kyogo’s trademark darting runs in behind, but his progress was halted by a dubious offside call.

The forward started to drop deep, picking the ball up on the turn and driving forward before being unceremoniously dumped on his backside by Jake Doyle-Hayes, at the expense of a booking.

A moment of hesitation from the Hibs backline then almost gave him sniff as he danced between the hesitating centre-back Hanlon and the advancing Matt Macey, but he stumbled as he touched it around the keeper and the chance was gone.

He had another look at goal at the start of the second half, playing his part in a lightning break that ended with his shot being blocked behind by the outstretched leg of Hanlon.

Celtic simply cannot defend set-pieces though, and when Hibs got their opportunity from a corner, they took it. Boyle floated a ball to the back post where Hanlon arrived like a steam train, shrugging off Carl Starfelt and heading past Joe Hart, who was rooted to his line.

But cometh the hour of Celtic’s need, cometh the man.

Straight from kick-off, Callum McGregor bent a long ball over the top from the left that Kyogo took beautifully into his stride, before simply passing the ball past Matt Macey and in for the equaliser. And in that moment, any risk that Celtic manager Postecoglou had taken with his star man was justified.

If Kyogo was dazzling for Celtic though, Starfelt was doing quite the opposite. Apart from losing Hanlon at the Hibs goal, he also missed a sitter from a corner soon after Celtic’s leveller as he headed wide, then took a fresh air swipe before being skinned by Kevin Nisbet, needing Hart to bail him out with a big save.

The Swedish defender has improved of late after a shaky start to life at the club, but he slipped into some old bad habits here.

Still, with Kyogo around, there were no such worries at the other end. Quick thinking by Tom Rogic from a free-kick on the halfway line saw the forward darting in behind once more, and with Macey in no-man’s land, he produced a sumptuous first-time finish over the giant keeper and into the net.

With 10 minutes to go, he had no more left to give, and was replaced by young Owen Moffat. He could do no more, and his cup-winning performance was almost snatched from him as Hanlon headed the ball across goal for Nisbet to nod against the frame of the Celtic goal.

'Along with Father Christmas, we deliver' read a banner unveiled by the Celtic support as referee Beaton blew his whistle for the final time. And the gamble on Kyogo had delivered big-time.