| Match Pictures | Matches: 2019 – 2020 | 2019-20 Pictures |
Trivia
- Midweek league match, Celtic match on Satellite TV this time for a change
- Hearts have a new manager, but same strong arm tactics by Hearts players on show today.
- Celtic go 5pts in front, but Sevco play their game in hand on Friday.
- Major issues with ticketing, checks & curshes for away fans at the game. Complete disgrace from Hearts. Many hundreds of Celtic supporters had been herded together and left locked outside the Stadium for no apparent reason in what looked like a coordinated decision by Police Scotland and the Hearts Stewards. To his credit, John Paul Taylor the Celtic FC SLO responded swiftly to reports.Hopefully Celtic are on the case on this today and we’ll get assurances ahead of our next visit to Tynecastle that their entry system has improved.
- Supporters at the match and TV viewers criticised state of Tynecastle pitch. It was also lashing it down with rain in the second half, so not best conditions for great football.
- UEFA Cup: Celtic drawn v Copenhagen in the UEFA Cup; Sevco draw Braga. Ties to be played in Feb.
- Nir Bitton signs contract extension to 2023. Nir Bitton has admitted he considered becoming a taxi driver during a year-long spell on the sidelines before roaring back to action and earning a new deal at Celtic (likely in humour)
- Outgoing Aberdeen chief Stewart Milne has hit out at Celtic & Sevco for holding Scottish football back. He believes they are "so much out of line with the rest of the game" but not willing to find common ground.
- Spanish second division match abandoned at half-time as Rayo Vallecano fans chanted that Albacete forward Roman Zozulya was a Nazi. The Ukraine international joined Rayo on loan in 2017 but the deal was cancelled hours later after fans turned up to training with a banner saying the town was "not a place for Nazis". Zozulya has always denied links with far-right groups.
- Report: Celtic remain hopeful of convincing Stoke City striker Tyrese Campbell his future lies in Glasgow as the 19-year-old enters the last six months of his contract.
- Celtic are keen on doing a deal for Cruzeiro defender Fabricio Bruno, according to reports in Brazil (est $2.5m already rejected)
- Everton are set to battle Celtic for Gillingham goalkeeper Joe Walsh, while two unnamed German sides are also keeping tabs on the 17-year-old.
- Boxing: Veteran promoter Bob Arum has made an apology after saying he "gets a kick" from Belfast fighter Michael Conlan entering the ring to the Wolfe Tones ‘Celtic Symphony’ song which has a line that some criticise (for a discussion to a more appropriate forum away from this form).
- Kilmarnock parted way with their Italian boss Angelo Alessio after a "player revolt". He departed with the club fifth in the league having managed just 22 games since taking over from Steve Clarke.
- Hertha Berlin are reportedly keen on a permanent deal for Spurs midfielder Victor Wanyama, potentially hijacking any hopes Celtic had of re-signing their former player.
- USA: US President Trump has been impeached. Could be big.
Review
(fatboab of KDS)
“ Blood doesn’t show on a maroon shirt”. That’s the “ legend” scrawled on the Tunnel wall of the newest part of Tynecastle. I guess it depends whose blood.
Still lovingly curated by their very own version of Richard Attenborough, the ever amusing Craig Levein, Hertz are the rhinoceros of Scottish football, just about hanging on in the 21st Century, but an unmistakeable link to a distant past.
Their brand of thuggery belongs firmly in the days of flat caps and evening newspapers, never to cross swords with anything remotely “modern”. I guess the only real surprise is that their trainer doesn’t actually carry a bucket of sawdust.
Oh, of course they think it’s hilarious to “prepare” the worst pitch in the SPL, quite the achievement given the plastic monstrosities at Hamilton and Livingston, but whatever it takes to neutralise teams who want to play football, eh?
Despite all this, along with their inexplicable extra dig when Celtic roll into town, we managed yet again to secure a comfortable win, which fortunately came without serious injury to any of our players despite the rigorous attempts of many in maroon. They really are a despicable bunch of Neanderthal Hun bastards and I hope they get relegated never to see the light of day again in the top tier of the game in Scotland.
And of course Brother Madden was complicit in the butchery. Another dirty Hun bastard.
Given their current plight at the foot of the table, this should be our only trip there this season. BUPA will be top of the “ pleased about that “ list.
Teams
Hearts
- 23 Castro Pereira
- 25 Brandon Substituted forClareat 32'minutes
- 26 HalkettBooked at 78mins
- 6 Berra
- 51 Hickey
- 22 DamourBooked at 42mins
- 02 SmithBooked at 63mins
- 07 Bozanic · Substituted forWhelanat 45'minutes
- 11 Mulraney Substituted forHendersonat 61'minutes
- 18 MacLeanBooked at 30mins
- 15 Wighton
Substitutes
- 1Zlamal
- 8Clare
- 12Whelan
- 28Dikamona
- 35Keena
- 41Henderson
- 77Meshino
Celtic
- 67 Forster
- 30 Frimpong
- 02 Jullien
- 35 AjerBooked at 42mins
- 15 Hayes
- 08 BrownBooked at 17mins
- 21 Ntcham
- 17 Christie
- 42 McGregor
- 49 Forrest Substituted for Bitton at 83'minutes
- 22 Edouard Substituted for Griffiths at 84'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Gordon
- 3Taylor
- 6Bitton
- 9Griffiths
- 10Bayo
- 16Morgan
- 18Rogic
Goals
- · Christie (28' minutes),
- · Ntcham (40' minutes)
Referee:
Bobby Madden
Attendance:
17,297
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Forum
Stats
Home Team
Hearts
Away Team
Celtic
Possession
Home52%
Away48%
Shots
Home12
Away13
Shots on Target
Home3
Away5
Corners
Home2
Away7
Fouls
Home11
Away10
Articles
Hearts 0-2 Celtic: Goals from Christie and Ntcham send Hoops five points clear at summit of Scottish Premiership
Stephen Halliday
Email
Published: 21:47
Updated: 21:50 Wednesday 18 December 2019
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/hearts-0-2-celtic-goals-from-christie-and-ntcham-send-hoops-five-points-clear-at-summit-of-scottish-premiership-1-5064468
Celtic left Daniel Stendel still waiting for both his first goal and league point as Hearts manager as the Scottish champions opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Ryan Christie’s 17th goal of another hugely productive season set Neil Lennon’s side on their way to a ninth consecutive league victory with Olivier Ntcham also scoring before half-time to repel a spirited effort from Hearts.
While Celtic now enjoy some daylight in the title race, putting added pressure on rivals Rangers ahead of their trip to Hibs on Friday night, the Gorgie club remain firmly entrenched in a relegation battle which takes them to fellow strugglers Hamilton in a crucial fixture on Saturday.
As Stendel attempts to assess the squad he has inherited as rapidly as possible, he made five changes to his starting line-up from last weekend’s anticlimactic opening to his tenure against St Johnstone.
The German coach could take a degree of satisfaction from the manner in which his reshuffled side approached the assignment but for all of their endeavour and energy, they were ultimately undone by the greater quality and cutting edge of Lennon’s men.
The direct and positive manner in which Hearts set about taking the game to the visitors at least provided some encouragement for the home support in the opening 25 minutes.
Without seriously testing Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster, who made a couple of comfortable saves from Ollie Bozanic and Craig Wighton in the opening exchanges, Hearts enjoyed a measure of success in hassling the eight-in-a-row title winners out of their customary rhythm.
It was a period when Hearts really needed to find the opening goal to give themselves a platform to build upon and Bozanic failed to take advantage of a couple of highly promising set piece situations when he only succeeded in finding the first Celtic defender.
Scott Brown was booked after just 18 minutes for a late challenge on Aaron Hickey as the Celtic captain attempted to secure a foothold for his team amid the frenzied nature of the contest.
Craig Halkett nodded over from a Jake Mulraney cross, then Bozanic glanced a header wide from Wighton’s fine delivery as Hearts continued to probe feverishly.
But there was no little sense of inevitability in the air when Celtic went ahead with their first meaningful attacking move in the 28th minute.
It was a goal which oozed fluency and precision, James Forrest and Odsonne Edouard combining to stretch the Hearts defence and create the opening for Christie who guided a low shot beyond Joel Pereira’s left hand from the edge of the penalty area.
Hearts’ frustration was understandable but still no excuse for Steven MacLean’s impetuosity in quickly earning a booking for a needless foul on Brown.
Stendel was forced into a change with Sean Clare replacing the injured Jamie Brandon at right-back and Celtic began to exert sustained control of possession for the first time.
Pereira was almost caught out by a Christie cross from the right, scrambling to touch the ball onto his crossbar, then the Portuguese ‘keeper had to race from his line to save at Edouard’s feet after a fine through ball from Ntcham had split the home defence.
Chances were coming Celtic’s way regularly now and Forrest should have done better than drag a shot wide after being played in by Ntcham in the 39th minute.
But Celtic did double their lead a minute later after Loic Damour, engaged in a running battle with Brown, lost possession to the visiting skipper. It allowed Forrest to break free on the left and cut the ball back for Ntcham to smash high beyond Pereira from around 12 yards.
Damour was booked for one foul too many on Brown with Kristoffer Ajer joining him in referee Bobby Madden’s notebook for his needless reaction to the incident. Tempers were threatening to boil over when Damour went down theatrically under a Jonny Hayes’ challenge on the touchline and Madden was probably relieved to blow the half-time whistle.
Hearts needed a fairly quick response after the break to have any realistic prospect of salvaging anything from the match and Clare wasn’t too far away with a shot across the face of Forster’s goal following a fine surge into the box.
But Hearts’ willingness to commit more men forward in pursuit of a lifeline left them increasingly open to Celtic’s slick counter-attacking. Callum McGregor had a goal ruled out for offside after Hickey’s brilliant challenge on Edouard had seen the ball break into his path, then the French striker clipped the outside of Pereira’s left hand post with a header.
Stendel, who had replaced Bozanic with Glenn Whelan at the start of the second half, made his final change of the night just after the hour mark as the visibly tiring Mulraney made way for teenage striker Euan Henderson.
But for all that Hearts continued to perform with greater purpose than has been witnessed by the Tynecastle faithful for some time, they were unable to pull the goal back which might have ensued a nervy finale to the contest for Celtic.
As it was, substitute Leigh Griffiths – always guaranteed a warm welcome in this part of Edinburgh – should have rubbed salt in Hearts’ wounds in the closing moments when his touch deserted him when he only had Pereira to beat.
BBC
By Tom English
BBC Scotland at Tynecastle
From the section Scottish Premiership
Highlights: Hearts 0-2 Celtic
Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic moved five points clear by extending Hearts' winless run to six games.
Ryan Christie curled in the opener, with Olivier Ntcham also netting before the break to move Celtic further ahead of Rangers, who have a game in hand.
They could have piled more misery on new Hearts boss Daniel Stendel, who has now lost his first two games in charge.
Stendel's side are 11th, above Hamilton Academical – who they face on Saturday – only on goal difference.
Lose that and the Tynecastle side will head into the Boxing Day derby with Hibernian adrift at the foot of the table at the halfway point of the campaign and under serious threat of relegation.
But for Celtic, it was a ninth consecutive Premiership victory as they took their tally of league goals for the season to 50.
Celtic up title pressure as Hearts show signs of life
After a season and more of insipid performances, these are grim times for Hearts on and off the field, a reality that hit Stendel square between the eyes on Saturday when he lost his first match in charge against St Johnstone. That was another lousy effort in a long back catalogue of lousy Hearts efforts.
This game had the look of an annihilation in the offing. Celtic can't stop winning and can't stop scoring and Hearts' much-discussed high press looked like offering meat and drink to Celtic's ruthless attackers.
It turned out to be a comfortable win for Celtic, but only after close to half an hour of solid stuff from Hearts. They opened promisingly, full of energy, full of passion, loads of hustling and harrying. In the midst of this, Scott Brown got booked for a foul on Aaron Hickey – always a popular call in this place of all places.
Hearts weren't good enough to take advantage of Celtic's early discomfort but their work-rate was high and their fans appreciated it. They looked like a team that at least knew what they were trying to do. Their fans have accused them of lacking stomach for the fight for much of the season but they couldn't level that charge at them here. They were undone by a much better team, but they battled.
The rising confidence in their ranks creaked when Celtic scored against the run of play. The visitors had done nothing in the game to that point, but the first chance they created, they converted. It was clever and clinical. When the ball was played into Odsonne Edouard, three Hearts men – Loic Damour, Craig Halkett and Christophe Berra – went to him. Bad idea.
Edouard back-heeled it and took out the three of them. James Forrest wanted to get on the end of the loose ball but it broke instead for Christie, who drove it low past Joel Pereira. What a goal machine Christie has become for the champions. The midfielder, as classy as he is consistent, has practically scored a goal in every other game this season across all competitions.
In a second blow, Hearts lost their right-back Jamie Brandon to injury. Sean Clare came on and slotted in admirably in Brandon's place.
Hearts graphic
Celtic kicked on, though. A heavy touch from Edouard cost the striker a wonderful chance to make it two. Just after, Ntcham put Forrest through a huge gap in the Hearts' defence but he pulled his shot wide when one-on-one with Pereira. That was a glaring miss, but Celtic weren't so wasteful when they carved out their next chance.
Brown started it by robbing Damour in midfield, Forrest carried it on when racing down the left. Berra stayed with him, just about, but then got done when the winger checked and went again, buying himself enough room to get his cross in. Edouard tried to connect at the back post but missed. The ball carried to Ntcham, who finished beautifully, a cushioned and emphatic strike that ensured the victory.
Hearts had a few moments in pursuit of a goal that might have made a contest of it, but Clare pushed a shot wide and Fraser Forster denied Michael Smith.
All the time there was a threat from the champions, though. Callum McGregor had a goal disallowed, correctly. Edouard probably should have done better with a header. McGregor should have scored but Pereira denied him.
In a way, both teams got what they were looking for. Celtic earned another deserved win in this long sequence of wins and put the pressure back on Rangers ahead of their game against Hibernian on Friday. For their part, Hearts showed a sign of life, some spirit, some encouraging signs amid a sea of negativity.
Man of the match – Odsonne Edouard
Full Time
Substitution
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Second Half
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Half Time
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Goal!
Substitution
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Goal!
Booking
Kick Off
Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner on Sportsound
Edouard was fantastic, the only thing missing was a goal. When the ball was knocked up to him in the middle of the pitch he showed his class, holding it up. In and around the box, his awareness of others around him was great too, for example his flick for the first goal.
He's coming back from an injury and you can see they brought him off again to keep him right. He is exceptional.