Celtic 3 Hearts 0

By Simon Buckland, PA Sport

Henrik Larsson conjured up a hat-trick to ease Celtic to a convincing success over a Hearts team looking a pale imitation of their former selves at Parkhead.

The Swede effectively ended today's Scottish Premier League contest with two first-half strikes in the space of four minutes to set Celtic on their way to a triumph that was never in dispute.

Larsson put the hosts front with a low finish after 21 minutes and then doubled his and Celtic's tally with a free header from a Lubomir Moravcik corner.

A 67th-minute penalty enabled Larsson to complete his hat-trick after Phil O'Donnell was fouled by Gary Naysmith as the Hearts defence again meekly subsided.

Celtic are 10 points adrift of leaders Rangers, but at last - perhaps too late - they have the look of champions, even if they were hardly tested by Jim Jefferies' men.

Larsson shone throughout, as did Moravcik and Paul Lambert, but elsewhere few Celtic players were called upon to rise above the ordinary. Hearts were the last team to defeat Celtic, 2-1 at Tynecastle on December 6, and were returning to the Parkhead venue that was the scene of their Scottish Cup triumph.

But there was a depleted look to their line-up, with French duo Stephane Adam and Gilles Rousset both missing through injury meaning a surprise start for Stuart Callaghan.

A timely David Weir challenge denied O'Donnell and prevented Celtic, who started with a noticeable swagger, moving ahead after four minutes.

The game's early flow was disrupted by a succession of niggling fouls and, at times, sloppy play, notably Stephane Mahe's lack of control on the left. Larsson turned Paul Ritchie in style after 16 minutes but was unable to deliver a telling cross, while in response on-loan Leeds striker Derek Lilley dragged a shot wide for Hearts.

After 21 minutes, however, Larsson made no mistake when a hopeful Tom Boyd cross broke kindly for him in the area, the Swede - with time to steady himself - slotting home.

Reserve goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie had no chance with that and was powerless four minutes later as Larsson claimed his and Celtic's second with embarrassing ease.

A fast, curling corner from the right from Moravcik picked out Larsson unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box for a free header he powered into the net.

Hearts presented Celtic with another close-range gift two minutes later, but O'Donnell seemed surprised by the time and space at his disposal following another precise Moravcik cross.

Shaken into action, Hearts came close to pulling a goal back on the half-hour mark when Stefano Salvatori's free-kick forced Jonathan Gould to make an alert stop.

Celtic almost moved three ahead courtesy of the opposition after 33 minutes when Steve Fulton narrowly avoided converting into his net, deflecting the ball just wide.

The midfielder was on defensive duties to combat a Celtic move involving Moravcik and Larsson, Fulton denying the onrushing O'Donnell but defeating his own goalkeeper.

With Celtic relaxed, the pace slowed towards the interval, although a looping Harald Brattbakk header needed a wary tip-over the bar by McKenzie. Celtic were content to keep possession after the interval with an understandable lack of urgency about much of their play, although a Larsson free-kick caused Hearts' backline panic.

On the hour mark, Mahe tapped a square pass to Lambert and the Scotland international midfielder unleashed a fierce strike just over the bar.

Larsson was in the mood to make as well as take chances, and his reverse pass set up Mahe for a clear opening moments later.

The Frenchman, out of sorts all afternoon, had only McKenzie to beat but scooped a woeful effort high and wide to spurn the opportunity.

Hearts were offering little, a Weir header grasped comfortably by Gould, while for Celtic O'Donnell failed to capitalise on a magical flick by Moravcik, firing wastefully over.

Larsson then sent O'Donnell away again, prompting full-back Naysmith to haul down the wide man and present Larsson with a spot-kick he netted gratefully.

Brattbakk was Celtic's hat-trick hero last week against St Johnstone, but normal service resumed for the Norwegian as he twice missed inviting chances to increase the margin of victory.

Hearts' third-placed finish last season already seems a distant memory, and but for a fine last-minute McKenzie save substitute Regi Blinker would have compounded their misery.

Teams:

Celtic: Gould, Boyd, Mjallby, Stubbs (Annoni 76), Mahe, Riseth, Moravcik (Burchill 87), Lambert, O'Donnell (Blinker 87), Brattbakk, Larsson.

Subs Not Used: McNamara, Corr.

Booked: Lambert.

Goals: Larsson 21, 24, 66 pen.

Hearts: McKenzie, Pressley, Ritchie, Weir, Murray, Naysmith, Fulton, Salvatori, Flogel, Callaghan (Guerin 81), Lilley (Quitongo 56).

Subs Not Used: McPherson, Horn, Strang.

Booked: Murray, Lilley.

Att: 59,815

Ref: S Dougal (Glasgow).


Taken from sportinglife.com