2009-04-11: Hearts 1-1 Celtic, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 2008 – 2009 | 2008-2009 Pictures

Trivia

Celtic balls up and drop two pts whilst Rangers beat M'well 3-1, so diff now is Celtic 1pt ahead and +2 goals difference.
JVoH scores for the third game in a row after just 25seconds.
Referee let Hearts get away with murder and no yellow cards against them!!!
O'Dea, Samaras injured. Loovens back.

Review

Disappointing result for Celtic, as we drop two pts to let Rangers back into the league title. We got off the starting blocks quick scoring in just 25 seconds for JVoH. Brilliant and we'd hope that was the start to a comforting victory. It wasn't and Hearts were industrious and got stuck in. McManus had a poor game and gave away a daft free-kick from which Hearts scored an admittedly great goal. From there, we weren't enough in the game until too late and both sides battled without getting anywhere.

Loovens could have stolen a victory at the end but no luck.

Back to the drawing board and the race to the title gets closer and harder and more anxious.

Teams

Hearts:
Balogh, Neilson, Zaliukas, Karipidis, Lee Wallace, Obua, Aguiar (Tullberg 86), Palazuelos, Stewart, Driver, Elliot (Nade 76).
Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Cesnauskis, Jonsson, Park, Templeton.
Goals: Aguiar 32

Celtic: (4-4-2)
Boruc,
Caldwell, McManus (Crosas 46), Loovens, Naylor,
Hinkel, Flood (Nakamura 56), Scott Brown, McGeady (Mizuno 82),
Vennegoor of Hesselink, McDonald.
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Ferry, Misun, Maloney.
Booked: McManus.
Goals: Vennegoor of Hesselink 1

Att: 16,514
Ref: C Thomson

Articles

Match Report

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo:

"In the last five or six minutes, Celtic came out and had some chances but in the game we had more chances.
"I must compliment the team. After losing a goal in 30 seconds, we came back and did not lose our shape, which was necessary against a very good Celtic team.
"We played very good football, especially in the first half.
"After 80 minutes, we changed some players and lost a little bit of confidence and lost a little bit in midfield. This was a little bit dangerous for us.
"Altogether, maybe 1-1 is a good result but the most important thing was to show a young team it has the possibility to collect the points and reach the Europa League."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:

"It was a good game, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed what the players did.
"On chances and opportunities to score, we had the better ones. We just didn't have our shooting boots on today. On determination and character, the two sides were equal.
"At free-kicks, they are the land of the giants and you have to plan accordingly.
"In the last half hour, we were terrific.
"We're going to have a say in the championship, we determine where we go, not Hearts.
"You can only ask the fellows to perform and it might be the biggest point of the season, you never know."

Pictures

Match Pictures

KStreet

Pre-match
Match
MOTM
- Result – Lee Naylor – (Link to MOTM Winners 2008/09)
Post Match

MOTM - Lee Naylor

Stats

Hearts v Celtic
Possession

51%

49%

Shots on target

Shots off target

Corners

Fouls

We egged Bhoys on

12 April 2009

Provided by: The Express on Sunday

HEARTS boss Csaba Laszlo's "gift" of an Easter egg to Celtic didn't do Gordon Strachan's side much good in the title race as the Jambos claimed a point at Tynecastle yesterday.

Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink gave the Hoops the lead in less than 30 seconds, but Bruno Aguiar's superb free-kick before the break earned the Jambos a point.

Laszlo said: "We gave away presents to Rangers on Mother's Day and now at Easter we have done it again with Celtic.

"We gave Celtic a huge egg with their goal!

"It was a poor one and a big mistake. We will look at it but I am not blaming players publicly.

"But if I think about how many times we have given opponents gifts I will go crazy."

Strachan had to force Stephen McManus to stay inside at half-time when the Parkhead skipper's troublesome ankle injury fl ared up in the frantic capital clash.

"He's too brave for his own good, " said Strachan. "I felt sorry for him, but there comes a point where you have to say enough is enough and the pain is just too much.

"The trouble – and it was the same with Scotland recently – is that he just doesn't want to let his place go."

There is now genuine concern for McManus ahead of next weekend's clash with Aberdeen.

And there's also a worry over Scott Brown, who played through yesterday's draw with an ankle knock.

Strachan joked: "There's so much ice in the dressing-room, it's like the dining-room of the Titanic."

But none of it was being used for champagne after the Bhoys dropped two vital points in the title race.

Not that Strachan was downbeat, and insisted: "That was good fun and I was pleased with a lot of things we did.

"We defended set-pieces well and I felt we made all the chances late on, although unfortunately we couldn't take them.

"All things considered, it wasn't bad and we'll find out at the end of the season if it was a point gained or two dropped."

Half-time sub Marc Crosas, however, insisted it was a point lost and said: "This wasn't a good result for us.

"We're not happy with just a point.

We scored very early but then had to score again and didn't, although we had chances in the second half.

"But we're still top and that is important."

Apart from the early goal lost, Laszlo was satisfi ed with his side's display.

"More performances like that and we will be in Europe, " he said.

The Express on Sunday

Strachan remains positive despite Tynecastle stalemate.

13 April 2009

Provided by: Irish Times

Hearts 1 Celtic 1:CELTIC MANAGER Gordon Strachan reflected on the difficulties posed by a “frantic” trip to Tynecastle after declaring himself reasonably satisfied with their 1-1 draw with Hearts on Saturday.

The league leaders got off to a flying start when Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink volleyed home an Andreas Hinkel cross after 26 seconds, with the aid of a fumble by Hearts goalkeeper Janos Balogh.

Hearts responded strongly and Artur Boruc got nowhere near Bruno Aguiar’s 30-yard free-kick before a tight second half could have gone either way.

Strachan had shown his respect for Hearts by bringing in Glenn Loovens for Marc Crosas and putting Gary Caldwell in central midfield, while the flair of Shunsuke Nakamura was sacrificed for the endeavour of Willo Flood.

And the Celtic manager said there is only so much visiting teams can do to temper the aggression and energy of matches against Hearts at an almost-full Tynecastle.

“It’s very hard when the ball is going up to strikers and falling down and you have got to try to bring the ball down and create a counter-attack,” Strachan said. “But once the game died, we did do that.” He added: “It’s frantic. And also you have to look at the fact that they have about eight players 6ft and over and you have to deal with that as well.

“They use their weapons well, I’m not complaining about the way they football. I’m just saying they use their weapons well and there’s a contrast in styles. And trying to play when there’s a chance to play is fine. I like coming here, I think it’s good fun.

“You know you’re going to get something, decisions from the referee, tackles, good goals.”

Nakamura and fellow sub Koki Mizuno both missed good chances late on and Strachan felt that showed his team had the edge.

Rangers later reduced their lead at the top of the table to one point but Celtic will not face many tougher tests in the final six matches of the campaign.

“At the end of the season we’ll find out if it was a good point but at the moment we’re feeling not too bad about ourselves,” Strachan said.

Celtic’s medical staff have some work to do before next weekend’s visit of Aberdeen. Darren O’Dea and Georgios Samaras were injured while there was still no sign of Paul Hartley despite the midfielder declaring himself fit after a hamstring injury.

HEARTS: Balogh, Neilson, Zaliukas, Karipidis, Lee Wallace, Obua, Aguiar (Tullberg 86), Palazuelos, Stewart, Driver, Elliot (Nade 76). Subs not used: MacDonald, Cesnauskis, Jonsson, Park, Templeton.

CELTIC: Boruc, Caldwell, McManus (Crosas 46), Loovens, Naylor, Hinkel, Flood (Nakamura 56), Scott Brown, McGeady (Mizuno 82), Vennegoor of Hesselink, McDonald. Subs not used: Mark Brown, Ferry, Misun, Maloney. Booked: McManus.

Referee: C Thomson (Scotland).

Irish Times

Hearts 1-1 Celtic

By Andy Campbell

BBC

Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic were held to a draw by a determined Hearts side at Tynecastle.

Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink fired Celtic into a first-minute lead with a shot from the edge of the box.

But Bruno Aguiar's superb free-kick from distance drew Hearts level 13 minutes before half-time.

Hearts' Marius Zaliukas and Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura had efforts saved in the second half and late pressure from the visitors failed to yield a winner.

The result allowed Rangers to cut Celtic's SPL lead to just one point with the Ibrox club beating Motherwell later on Saturday.

Celtic took the lead within the opening 30 seconds after Andrew Driver's poor clearance was collected by Andreas Hinkel.

The German right-back's low cross was volleyed first time by Vennegoor of Hesselink and goalkeeper Janos Balogh was slow to get down to his left as the ball trickled into the net.

Vennegoor of Hesselink beat the offside trap in the 17th minute only to drag his shot wide and the Dutchman then headed wide from Lee Naylor's corner.

Michael Stewart won Hearts a free-kick around 29 yards from goal that allowed Aguiar to restore parity.

The Portuguese midfielder's swerving effort sailed past the outstretched arms of Artur Boruc and into the bottom corner.

Hearts continued to put Celtic under pressure but were unable to gain a lead before half-time with Calum Elliot claiming unsuccessfully for a penalty after his shot appeared to strike the hand of Glenn Loovens.

Celtic began the second half minus injured captain Stephen McManus, who was replaced with Marc Crosas.
Hearts midfielder Bruno Aguiar
Aguiar's free-kick ensured Hearts gained a point

Boruc made an important save on 50 minutes when he tipped Zaliukas' low shot wide.

Naylor was tripped on the edge of the box shortly after the introduction of Shunsuke Nakamura and the Japanese playmaker's effort appeared to strike the arms of Stewart in the Hearts box, but no penalty was awarded.

The aerial threat of Vennegoor of Hesselink caused uncertainty in the Hearts defence as Nakamura arrived late in the six yard box to meet the striker's head flick, but Lee Wallace did enough to avert the danger.

Celtic continued to press and Loovens threatened twice from successive Nakamura corners.

At the other end, Driver's back-post volley went harmlessly off target.

Balogh held Nakamura's low drive and the substitute was foiled again when Zaliukas made a crucial block.

Koki Mizuno, who had replaced McGeady, was inches away from scoring with a left-foot drive following Naylor's long throw-in.

As the match went into injury time, Nakamura's inswinging free-kick was scrambled away at the back post by Christos Karapidis as Loovens tried in vain to force the ball over the line.

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo:

"In the last five or six minutes, Celtic came out and had some chances, but in the game we had more chances.

"I must compliment the team. After losing a goal in 30 seconds, we came back and did not lose our shape, which was necessary against a very good Celtic team.

"We played very good football, especially in the first half.

"After 80 minutes, we changed some players and lost a little bit of confidence and lost a little bit in midfield. This was a little bit dangerous for us.

"Altogether, maybe 1-1 is a good result, but the most important thing was to show a young team it has the possibility to collect the points and reach the Europa League."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:

"It was a good game, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed what the players did.

"On chances and opportunities to score, we had the better ones. We just didn't have our shooting boots on today. On determination and character, the two sides were equal.

"At free-kicks, they are the land of the giants and you have to plan accordingly.

"In the last half hour, we were terrific.

"We're going to have a say in the championship, we determine where we go, not Hearts.

"You can only ask the fellows to perform and it might be the biggest point of the season, you never know."

Hearts: Balogh, Neilson, Zaliukas, Karipidis, Lee Wallace, Obua, Aguiar (Tullberg 86), Palazuelos, Stewart, Driver, Elliot (Nade 76).
Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Cesnauskis, Jonsson, Park, Templeton.

Goals: Aguiar 32.

Celtic: Boruc, Caldwell, McManus (Crosas 46), Loovens, Naylor, Hinkel, Flood (Nakamura 56), Scott Brown, McGeady (Mizuno 82), Vennegoor of Hesselink, McDonald.
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Ferry, Misun, Maloney.

Booked: McManus.

Goals: Vennegoor of Hesselink 1.

Att: 16,514

Ref: C Thomson