Hearts 3-4 Celtic: Premiership leaders salvage victory in thrilling match
Hearts #Hearts
Greg Taylor forced in the winner in an epic contest
Leaders Celtic eventually triumphed over a depleted Hearts in a gripping Scottish Premiership match at a heaving Tynecastle where VAR took centre stage.
Two goals from Lawrence Shankland – one from the spot after Scottish football’s first on-field review – had Hearts ahead following James Forrest’s opener.
Giorgos Giakoumakis and Daizen Maeda turned the game back in Celtic’s favour and, although Shankland completed his hat-trick from the spot after a VAR-influenced re-take, Greg Taylor slid in to grab the winner for the champions.
At full-time it was sheer relief for Celtic, who were pushed all the way throughout the 90 minutes, as Ange Postecoglou’s side moved five points clear of Rangers, who play Livingston at 15:00 BST on Saturday.
Hearts stay seventh but produced their best performance of the season as, despite missing a clutch of defenders, they went toe-to-toe with the league leaders, who had scored 10 times in their last two games.
They were unfortunate to fall behind when Tony Ralston’s cross was deflected into the path of Forrest to head home his fourth goal in two matches, after Barrie McKay and Robert Snodgrass had passed up good chances.
But Hearts did haul themselves level before the break. Cameron Carter-Vickers brought down Cammy Devlin in the box and, after being sent to the monitor to review the tackle, referee Nick Walsh overturned his original decision and awarded a penalty.
Substitute Shankland drilled the ball into the net, and did so again a minute after the restart after Josh Ginnelly got the better of Alexandro Bernabei to flash a brilliant ball across the six-yard box.
But Celtic rallied and upped the tempo. Giakoumakis escaped the clutches of several Hearts players to head in from Aaron Mooy’s corner, and then Maeda reacted quickest when the Australian’s shot was parried out by goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
But the drama was far from finished. Devlin was once again racing into the Celtic box when Moritz Jenz clattered him in attempting to clear the ball, and this time Walsh gave the penalty immediately.
Shankland’s penalty was saved by Joe Hart, but Ginnelly was able to turn the rebound home for what he thought was the equaliser.
But a VAR check found that Ginnelly and two Celtic players had encroached, which meant Shankland was forced to re-take, and this time he beat Hart to haul Hearts level at 3-3.
All of that came in a pulsating first 65 minutes, as both sides slugged it out for the final quarter of a fantastic contest.
But it was Celtic who found the crucial moment. Mooy was involved again for the visitors, as his pass found Liel Abada, whose deflected cross fell for a lunging Taylor to net the winner.
There was barely time to draw breath in the final 20 minutes, but Celtic were able to see out victory as they showed fantastic perseverance for the second time in a fortnight.
More to follow.
Line-ups Hearts
Formation 4-1-4-1
1Gordon
2Smith21Sibbick3Kingsley19Cochrane
14Devlin
30Ginnelly8Kiomourtzoglou77Snodgrass18McKay
29Humphrys
Substitutes
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
1Hart
56Ralston20Carter-Vickers6Jenz25Bernabei
13Mooy33O’Riley41Hatate
49Forrest7Giakoumakis38Maeda
Substitutes
Live Text
Match ends, Heart of Midlothian 3, Celtic 4.
90’+7′
Second Half ends, Heart of Midlothian 3, Celtic 4.
90’+6′
Offside, Celtic. Joe Hart tries a through ball, but Liel Abada is caught offside.
90’+5′
Connor Smith (Heart of Midlothian) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90’+5′
Liel Abada (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90’+5′
Foul by Connor Smith (Heart of Midlothian).
90’+4′
Offside, Celtic. Sead Haksabanovic tries a through ball, but Liel Abada is caught offside.
90’+3′
Foul by Giorgos Giakoumakis (Celtic).
90’+3′
Alex Cochrane (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90’+3′
Foul by Giorgos Giakoumakis (Celtic).
90’+3′
Stephen Kingsley (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90’+2′
Substitution, Celtic. Oliver Abildgaard replaces Reo Hatate.
90’+1′
Foul by Matt O’Riley (Celtic).
90’+1′
Connor Smith (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick on the left wing.
90’+1′
Foul by Giorgos Giakoumakis (Celtic).
90’+1′
Cameron Devlin (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
89′
Attempt saved. Liel Abada (Celtic) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Sead Haksabanovic.
86′
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Craig Gordon.
85′
Attempt blocked. Alan Forrest (Heart of Midlothian) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
85′
Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Connor Smith replaces Orestis Kiomourtzoglou.
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Heart of Midlothian
Squad number1Player nameGordon
Squad number2Player nameSmith
Squad number21Player nameSibbick
Squad number3Player nameKingsley
Squad number19Player nameCochrane
Squad number14Player nameDevlin
Squad number30Player nameGinnelly
Squad number8Player nameKiomourtzoglou
Squad number77Player nameSnodgrass
Squad number18Player nameMcKay
Squad number29Player nameHumphrys
Squad number9Player nameShankland
Squad number16Player nameHalliday
Squad number17Player nameForrest
Squad number27Player nameSmith
Celtic
Squad number1Player nameHart
Squad number56Player nameRalston
Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers
Squad number6Player nameJenz
Squad number25Player nameBernabei
Squad number13Player nameMooy
Squad number33Player nameO’Riley
Squad number41Player nameHatate
Squad number49Player nameForrest
Squad number7Player nameGiakoumakis
Squad number38Player nameMaeda
Squad number3Player nameTaylor
Squad number9Player nameHaksabanovic
Squad number11Player nameAbada
Squad number28Player nameAbildgaard