| Match Pictures | Matches: 1996 – 1997 | 1996-1997 Pictures |
Trivia
- Cadete leaving the field covered in green-n-white scarves.
- The usual foul-mouthed, bile-ridden rubbish from the Hearts terraces as per usual at Tynecastle failed to put the Bhoys off.
Review
A well-fought-for win at the home of the east coast bigots. The Bhoys brought a four match unbeaten run for Hearts to an end.
Teams
Hearts:
Rousset, Murie, Weir, McPherson, Ritchie, MacKay (Paile, 83), Fulton, Cameron, McCann, Robertson, Hamilton
Subs Not Used: Goss, Naysmith
Scorer: Hamilton (38)
Bookings: Fulton ,Ritchie ,Rousset (Hearts)
Celtic:
Kerr, Boyd, Gray, McNamara, MacKay, O’Donnell, Di Canio (Donnelly, 22), McStay, Van Hooijdonk (Wieghorst, 88), Hannah, Cadete
Non Used Sub: McKinlay
Scorers: Cadete (28), Cadete (68)
Referee: J Herald (Glasgow)
Attendance: 15,424
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Stats
| Hearts | Celtic | |
| Bookings | 3 | 0 |
| Fouls | 15 | 12 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 5 |
| Corners | 10 | 6 |
| Offside | 2 | 4 |
Cadete is the Hearts breaker
Scotland on Sunday 12/01/1997
Heart of Midlothian 1 Celtic 2
THIS was an afternoon which offered Celtic the rare opportunity to claw back three points on their pesky championship rivals, with Rangers, due to television commitments, forced to trot out for action on this sabbath afternoon. Speaking of which, Tommy Burns, on the eve of this game had revealed his release valve in these heated dog days of the Premier Division: "I speak to God a lot."
With Rangers loping apparently unabated towards their coveted ninth title despite, and even it seems in spite of, the ravages of flu, one perhaps felt he'd be as well waiting to speak to Godot. Not even divine intervention it seems can knock the blue juggernaut off course.
The delayed start because of lighting failure in the stands saw both teams career away at a blistering pace when the game eventually kicked off. They made up for the enforced 19 minutes of inactivity after 3:00 with a raucous opening spell. Like uncaged predators, two sides with a passion for attacking tore away with similar intent: to score more goals than they would give away.
While Celtic's attacking trio of Jorge Cadete, Pierre van Hooijdonk and Paolo di Canio will always catch the eye in terms of their foreign elan, it was the Hearts home-grown strike force who were the more effective in the opening stages.
Neil McCann pounded up and down the left wing and in the eighth minute was denied what seemed a blatant penalty when Jackie McNamara clamped on to his back like a love-sick limpet. Perhaps Burns had struck a chord in his conversations with Him. Still, Celtic nearly spurned God's gift. McCann was allowed to regain his balance and, with a shilly-shally Elvis would have ungreased his quiff for, crossed for the lurking Jim Hamilton who sent a looping header over Stewart Kerr's bar.
Hamilton was having a whale of a time. Just a few weeks ago he was plying his trade in the First Division and could not have faced many defences as porous as Celtic's. After 10 minutes, he weaved his way through the Celtic midfield as if it wasn't there. Like their rearguard, for much of the time it wasn't. Paul McStay looked ponderous, especially in comparison with the perky Colin Cameron, who orchestrated much of the early proceedings for Hearts.
Celtic eventually began to get it together, though. Di Canio, with Hamilton the most exciting player on the pitch, offers a striking contrast to the Hearts man. The Italian's game is all about flair and he turned on the style until his enforced substitution in the 22nd minute with an ankle injury.
It was ironic Celtic's replacement for their most dangerous player, Simon Donnelly, would play a large part in the opening goal four minutes after coming on. A Stuart Gray cross from the left was knocked down by Van Hooijdonk and Donnelly fired in a shot which was heading shamefully wide before the loitering Cadete struck out an impulsive boot to send the ball high into Gilles Rousset's net.
As Cadete and his team-mates gleefully frolicked in the corner, it was difficult not to feel sorry for Hearts who, having started the game so brightly, were now one down to a goal with such an element of freakishness about it. Still, Burns would no doubt argue that his Portuguese striker, after the events at Ibrox, deserved such a lucky break.
In the 31st minute, another intelligent knock down from Van Hooijdonk nearly gave the Celtic fans more cause for joy. Donnelly again pounced and gave the ball a fearful wallop which had the supporters behind Rousset's goal diving for cover. This time there was no benevolent boot of Cadete to redirect the ball.
Hearts were still looking dangerous, though, and they deservedly equalised seven minutes before half-time. Gary Mackay and Cameron played a neat one-two out on the right with the former swinging in a fine cross. Hamilton found himself rising to meet the ball almost completely unchallenged and his header found its target via the despairing fingertips of Kerr and his left-hand post.
It wasn't difficult to predict the angle of Burns's half-time chat. After the game, he talked of his defence as playing with "guts and determination". Such qualities are not enough for the rearguard of a championship-seeking side.
Burns' interval words of wisdom seemed merely to inspire more nerves within the Celtic back four. A minute after half-time, Malky Mackay had an almighty swing at the ball which he missed horribly.
Then, in the 54th minute, a David Murie cross found Hamilton in what seemed like enough space to swing an antelope. Unfortunately for Hamilton, his first touch was bovine and he allowed the advancing Kerr to retrieve the situation. At the other end, Van Hooijdonk aimed one of his blanched boots at a Donnelly cross which, a few weeks ago, would have given Celtic the lead. This afternoon Van Hooijdonk trudged wearily over the sodden turf.
It was left to Cadete to bring Celtic to within eight points of Rangers. In the 67th minute, a move which culminated in a one-two between Cadete and McStay saw the former nip in to hook the ball over the slow-to-advance Rousset. As the ball nestled in the net, Cadete was off, cavorting with his legions of fans who, like the Celtic boss, will have been relieved that one of their lauded strikers was operating on full power.
- Manager Interview
Tommy Burns post match:
"I am very very happy with this win – it was vital.
"It wasn't the prettiest of games but we were in the, position where we had to win it and it took guts, determination and commitment – and a big bit of opportunism from Cadete.
"We lost FDi Canio early on with a badly twisted ankle and taking that into consideration I am delighted with the attitude of all my players.
"Games against Hearts are always hard and this is the first time we have beaten them this season.
"Football is sometimes all about attitude and we got it right here."
Tommy Burns on Cadete:
"Cadete always has a tremendous workrate, as well as scoring goals.
"We didn't really miss him the two months that he was out because we still won games, however, with him in the team our goal scoring percentage is higher.
But it speaks volumes for a lot of the other players that even when we were missing the likes of Cadete or Pierre we stayed up at the top of the league table.
"It was striking at its best," Burns said.
"There was an instinctive touch inside the penalty box for the first goal and then a demonstration of sharpness over the ground, with a delicate finish, for the winner. His performance was the hallmark of the big-time player."
"The back four also did well as John Robertson is always liable to sneak a goal somewhere and we didn't let him do that.
"I was delighted for the supporters who had to sit out in the rain all afternoon – it was good to send them home happy."