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Trivia
- Hearts took a massive step towards clinching second place in the SPL. The result means that a win over Aberdeen on Wednesday will guarantee Hearts second spot and a place in next season's Champions League qualifying campaign.
- Celtic fans for once are not entirely unhappy to lose and cheer loudly at final whistle.
Review
The result could have been different had McManus done better with a glorious chance inside two minutes, but he shot tamely at Craig Gordon despite finding himself unmarked just seven yards out. Having failed to find the net at one end, McManus succeeded at the other end just five minutes later. Hartley whipped in a free-kick from the left and the ball spun off the head of the Celtic defender, past the helpless Boruc.
The Celtic keeper was picking the ball out of the net again shortly afterwards. Hartley was allowed to take another free-kick while Boruc was still organising his wall and the Pole could not make up the ground as the Hearts midfielder curled the ball into the far corner of the goal.
Hearts almost made it three before quarter-of-an-hour had been played when Rudi Skacel crashed a shot off the post after a fantastic individual run.
Keane saw a 20-yard drive comfortably held by Gordon, but the Irishman passed up an excellent opportunity midway through the first half when Steven Pressley's loose header landed at his feet on the edge of the six-yard box, only for Keane to scuff a weak shot into the keeper's arms.
Maciej Zurawski almost pulled a goal back at the beginning of the second half with a fiercely-struck drive that was well blocked by Gordon at his near post.
Hearts put the result beyond doubt on 63 minutes when Hartley picked out the run of Bednar who kept his cool to tuck the ball past the out-rushing Boruc.
Teams
Hearts:-
Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Tall (Berra 80), Fyssas, Cesnauskis (Barasa 83), Hartley, Aguiar, Skacel, Bednar (Pospisil 74), Jankauskas.
Subs not used:- Banks, Wallace, Brellier, Driver.
Goals:- McManus 7 og, Hartley 9, Bednar 63.
Booked:- Skacel, Jankauskas.
Celtic:-
Boruc, Telfer, Varga, McManus, Wilson, Nakamura, Keane, Lennon (Petrov 66), Maloney, Dublin (Hartson 73), Zurawski (Pearson 69).
Subs not used:- Marshall, Thompson, Wallace, McGeady.
Booked:- Dublin, Lennon, Hartson.
Att:- 16,795
Ref:- A Freeland.
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
- Match Report (BBC)
- Hartson pledges to stay at Celtic. (BBC)
Pictures
Articles
Hearts 3-0 Celtic
BBC
Hearts took a massive step towards clinching second place in the SPL as they crushed champions Celtic.
Two goals in the opening 10 minutes gave them the perfect start.
Stephen McManus headed a Paul Hartley free-kick into his own goal before Hartley curled another past Artur Boruc as the keeper set up his wall.
McManus and Roy Keane both missed sitters for Celtic, but Roman Bednar rounded off the win, clipping the ball over Boruc as he rushed out of goal.
The result could have been different had McManus done better with a glorious chance inside two minutes, but he shot tamely at Craig Gordon despite finding himself unmarked just seven yards out.
Having failed to find the net at one end, McManus succeeded at the other end just five minutes later.
Hartley whipped in a free-kick from the left and the ball spun off the head of the Celtic defender, past the helpless Boruc.
The Celtic keeper was picking the ball out of the net again shortly afterwards.
Hartley was allowed to take another free-kick while Boruc was still organising his wall and the Pole could not make up the ground as the Hearts midfielder curled the ball into the far corner of the goal.
Hearts almost made it three before quarter-of-an-hour had been played when Rudi Skacel crashed a shot off the post after a fantastic individual run.
Keane saw a 20-yard drive comfortably held by Gordon, but the Irishman passed up an excellent opportunity midway through the first half when Steven Pressley's loose header landed at his feet on the edge of the six-yard box, only for Keane to scuff a weak shot into the keeper's arms.
Maciej Zurawski, anonymous in the first half, almost pulled a goal back at the beginning of the second period with a fiercely-struck drive that was well blocked by Gordon at his near post.
Hearts put the result beyond doubt on 63 minutes when Hartley picked out the run of Bednar who kept his cool to tuck the ball past the out-rushing Boruc.
Gordon saved well from substitute Stilian Petrov's long-range drive and the Scotland international denied the Celtic midfielder again just before full-time when he tipped over his near-post effort.
The result means that a win over Aberdeen on Wednesday will guarantee Hearts second spot and a place in next season's Champions League qualifying campaign.
Hearts interim head coach Valdas Ivanauskas:
"That was the perfect performance, but it's just one step to the Champions League place.
"We know Aberdeen are strong and we need the same performance again. It will be a very difficult game on Wednesday.
"As for Paul Hartley, I haven't a word for him. He is a leader, he scores important goals, he is the best player in Scotland and one of the best in Europe."
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"I said beforehand the game would be decided on free-kicks, and I was right. We didn't defend them properly.
"I'm disappointed their power-play was so damaging to us. Hearts took their chances better than us and Craig Gordon made some great saves.
"Our attitude was good enough, we fought hard, showed character and we kept trying to play football, but anyone looking at that game could see we were trying."
Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Tall (Berra 80), Fyssas, Cesnauskis (Barasa 83), Hartley, Aguiar, Skacel, Bednar (Pospisil 74), Jankauskas.
Subs Not Used: Banks, Wallace, Brellier, Driver.
Booked: Skacel, Jankauskas.
Goals: McManus 7 og, Hartley 9, Bednar 63.
Celtic: Boruc, Telfer, Varga, McManus, Wilson, Nakamura, Keane, Lennon (Petrov 66), Maloney, Dublin (Hartson 73), Zurawski (Pearson 69).
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Thompson, Wallace, McGeady.
Booked: Dublin, Lennon, Hartson.
Att: 16,795
Ref: A Freeland
Hartson pledges to stay at Celtic
BBC
John Hartson has confirmed he will see out his contract with Celtic, following previous suggestions that the striker would be moving to England.
Hartson, 31, had been considering leaving Celtic to be closer to his young children, who live in Wales.
But he has now stated that he will remain with the club for another year.
"I spoke with my family about staying with Celtic for another year and they gave me their full support," Hartson told the Sunday Mail.
"It is a huge weight off my mind to know exactly what I'm doing.
"There has been speculation for months that I might be going here, there or the next place.
"But this puts it all to bed – I'm staying where I am. There is no doubt the manager has been influential in my decision. He made it clear in a meeting with my agent he wanted me to stay and I was pleased to hear that.
"Now I can play the remaining games this season and enjoy the summer break without any speculation."