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Celtic 2-0 Hearts: Hosts go two points clear at top

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Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi knocked in the opener to score for the third successive game

Celtic climbed two points clear at the Scottish Premiership summit after an awkward test against much-changed Hearts, who ended with nine men.

The hosts capitalised on Rangers’ draw at Hibernian, but first-half dominance yielded only Kyogo Furuhashi’s strike.

Hearts improved markedly after the break to disrupt Celtic’s rhythm before losing Alex Cochrane and Toby Sibbick to second yellows late on.

Giorgos Giakoumakis completed a deserved victory in the dying seconds.

It maintains Celtic’s perfect start of four straight wins, with just one goal conceded.

Hearts, whose line-up reflected the importance of their looming Europa League play-off second leg with FC Zurich, are consigned to a first league defeat of the season.

Craig Gordon, Barrie McKay and Lawrence Shankland were among the key players rested as Hearts boss Robbie Neilson made seven changes from the 2-1 first-leg defeat in Switzerland.

But even accounting for the upheaval, the visitors’ defending was dire as they fell behind in the opening 15 minutes. Kyogo was left all alone six yards out to volley past stand-in goalkeeper Ross Stewart after Daizen Meada wriggled clear of Cochrane and whipped over a cross from the right.

Hearts regrouped and manfully prevented further damage before the break, with Jota lashing into the side-netting, Matt O’Riley knocking an acrobatic effort wide and Maeda wastefully planting a downward header into Stewart’s arms from close range.

Hearts were too often panicked in possession, but cut Celtic open when neat interplay in midfield allowed Gary Mackay-Steven to spring Josh Ginnelly clear, only for the winger to drag wide.

The visitors’ belief blossomed as Celtic started the second half in sloppy fashion. Ginnelly screwed another effort wide while Sibbick was unable to connect with Alan Forrest’s tempting ball across the face of goal.

Yet Hearts were unable to trouble goalkeeper Joe Hart, failing to register a single shot on target in the 90 minutes even after throwing on McKay and Shankland for the final half hour.

Celtic’s search for a second goal was thwarted by Stewart’s fine save from O’Riley, with substitute Hatate bundling the rebound a foot past. But Giakoumakis finally found a way through when he bundled in Josip Juranovic’s fizzed delivery.

Man of the match – Kyogo Furuhashi

Another goal and dynamic display from Celtic's strike talisman

What’s next?

Hearts are banking on home advantage helping them turn the tie around when they face FC Zurich in the Europa League play-off second leg at Tynecastle on Thursday (20:00 BST).

They then host St Johnstone in the Premiership next Sunday (15:00), with Celtic away to Dundee United the same afternoon (12:00).

More to follow.

Player of the match

FuruhashiKyogo Furuhashi

with an average of 7.64

Celtic

  1. Squad number8Player nameFuruhashi

    Average rating

    7.64

  2. Squad number17Player nameJota

    Average rating

    7.59

  3. Squad number7Player nameGiakoumakis

    Average rating

    7.53

  4. Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers

    Average rating

    7.43

  5. Squad number42Player nameMcGregor

    Average rating

    7.31

  6. Squad number3Player nameTaylor

    Average rating

    7.30

  7. Squad number41Player nameHatate

    Average rating

    7.26

  8. Squad number6Player nameJenz

    Average rating

    7.24

  9. Squad number88Player nameJuranovic

    Average rating

    7.22

  10. Squad number33Player nameO’Riley

    Average rating

    7.18

  11. Squad number38Player nameMaeda

    Average rating

    7.16

  12. Squad number1Player nameHart

    Average rating

    7.14

  13. Squad number14Player nameTurnbull

    Average rating

    6.90

  14. Squad number11Player nameAbada

    Average rating

    6.86

  15. Squad number13Player nameMooy

    Average rating

    6.77

Heart of Midlothian

  1. Squad number13Player nameStewart

    Average rating

    6.41

  2. Squad number15Player nameRowles

    Average rating

    6.24

  3. Squad number17Player nameForrest

    Average rating

    6.07

  4. Squad number30Player nameGinnelly

    Average rating

    6.05

  5. Squad number5Player nameHaring

    Average rating

    5.74

  6. Squad number11Player nameMackay-Steven

    Average rating

    5.68

  7. Squad number16Player nameHalliday

    Average rating

    5.64

  8. Squad number19Player nameCochrane

    Average rating

    5.42

  9. Squad number18Player nameMcKay

    Average rating

    5.36

  10. Squad number9Player nameShankland

    Average rating

    5.35

  11. Squad number21Player nameSibbick

    Average rating

    5.31

  12. Squad number10Player nameBoyce

    Average rating

    5.30

  13. Squad number27Player nameSmith

    Average rating

    5.22

  14. Squad number20Player nameNeilson

    Average rating

    5.14

  15. Squad number2Player nameSmith

    Average rating

    4.89

  16. Squad number12Player nameAtkinson

    Average rating

    4.53

Line-ups

Celtic

Formation 4-3-3

1Hart

88Juranovic20Carter-Vickers6Jenz3Taylor

33O’Riley42McGregor14Turnbull

38Maeda8Furuhashi17Neves Filipe

  • 1Hart
  • 88Juranovic
  • 20Carter-Vickers
  • 6Jenz
  • 3Taylor
  • 33O’RileySubstituted forMooyat 72′minutes
  • 42McGregor
  • 14TurnbullSubstituted forHatateat 56′minutes
  • 38MaedaSubstituted forAbadaat 56′minutes
  • 8FuruhashiSubstituted forGiakoumakisat 72′minutes
  • 17Neves Filipe

Substitutes

  • 4Starfelt
  • 7Giakoumakis
  • 11Abada
  • 13Mooy
  • 25Bernabei
  • 31Siegrist
  • 41Hatate
  • 49Forrest
  • 56Ralston

Hearts

Formation 4-2-3-1

13Stewart

12Atkinson21Sibbick15Rowles19Cochrane

16Halliday5Haring

17Forrest10Boyce11Mackay-Steven

30Ginnelly

  • 13Stewart
  • 12Atkinson
  • 21SibbickBooked at 90mins
  • 15Rowles
  • 19CochraneBooked at 89mins
  • 16HallidaySubstituted forSmithat 60′minutes
  • 5HaringSubstituted forNeilsonat 71′minutes
  • 17ForrestSubstituted forMcKayat 64′minutes
  • 10BoyceBooked at 26minsSubstituted forShanklandat 65′minutesBooked at 83mins
  • 11Mackay-StevenBooked at 43minsSubstituted forSmithat 71′minutes
  • 30Ginnelly

Substitutes

  • 2Smith
  • 7Grant
  • 9Shankland
  • 14Devlin
  • 18McKay
  • 20Neilson
  • 27Smith
  • 39Pollock
  • 40McFarlane
Referee:
Kevin Clancy

Match Stats

Live Text

Post update

Match ends, Celtic 2, Heart of Midlothian 0.

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