Tawanda Maswanhise is closing in on the Scottish Premiership top scorer as he delivered yet another decisive moment for Motherwell in a hard-fought 1–1 draw away to Hibernian at a packed Easter Road Stadium.
The Zimbabwean forward broke the deadlock seven minutes into the second half, showing sharp movement inside the box and calm finishing to slot home his 10th league goal of the season. It was a moment of composure and quality in a contest that had been tight, physical and tactically demanding from the opening whistle.
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That goal moved Maswanhise to within one strike of the Scottish Premiership’s leading goalscorer Lawrence Shankland, underlining just how productive his campaign has been. It also invites the inevitable “what if”. Had the forward not missed valuable league minutes while away on international duty with the Zimbabwe Warriors at the AFCON 2025 finals in Morocco, his tally could be even higher. He was the leading scorer when he went to Morocco. Even so, his form has not dipped, a clear sign of a forward operating at the peak of confidence and consistency.
The first half ended goalless but was far from dull. Motherwell threatened through Maswanhise and Tom Sparrow, forcing Hibs goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger into sharp saves, while the hosts, driven on by a sell-out crowd of over 19,000, tested a well-organised Motherwell backline.
Maswanhise’s opener gave Motherwell belief that a statement away win was on the cards, especially against a direct rival in the race for European places. Hibernian, however, responded with urgency and purpose. In the 69th minute, Kieron Bowie capitalised on a defensive lapse to level matters, finishing from close range after good work from Jordan Obita.
Both sides pushed for a winner in a frantic finale. Motherwell came agonisingly close when Ibrahim Said headed wide, while Hibs also spurned chances as fatigue set in and spaces opened up.
In the end, the draw felt fair. Motherwell remain fourth in the Scottish Premiership, extending their impressive run to just one defeat in 14 league matches, while Hibernian stay fifth, two points behind, and unbeaten in four.
For Maswanhise, this was another powerful reminder of his growing influence. Consistent, confident and now firmly in the Golden Boot conversation, the Zimbabwean forward is fast becoming one of Motherwell’s most reliable attacking weapons, and one ZiGoats readers will be watching very closely as the season unfolds. Famba!
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