Celtic 2 Hearts 3

By Simon Buckland, PA Sport

Celtic were their own worst enemy at Parkhead as they put rivals Rangers firmly in control of the title race by falling victim to an astonishing Hearts fightback.

Trailing 2-0 after half an hour, Hearts refused to accept their fate and produced a thrilling recovery culminating in a penalty winner from Colin Cameron just six minutes from time.

Celtic went into this game nine points behind Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers and now the Ibrox outfit can move a massive 12 clear if they secure victory at Hibernian on Sunday.

Despite a sluggish start, Celtic found their momentum in the wake of a brilliant long-range effort from Lubomir Moravcik after 15 minutes and seemed to have taken charge of the game.

Mark Viduka's 29th-minute header, effectively a gift after poor Hearts defending, looked to have presented Celtic with a cushion - but they promptly fell asleep on it.

Within three minutes Hearts had halved the home team's advantage through Cameron and thereafter Celtic's nerve failed them and with it went a game which had looked won.

Hearts sensed Celtic's concerns and set about their second-half task with renewed vigour, first levelling when Gary Naysmith struck after 55 minutes then going one better via Cameron's spot-kick.

After a series of one-sided SPL encounters, here at last had been a truly competitive game involving one side of the Old Firm. But it is the other half of the Glasgow divide who will be celebrating it most.

Paul Lambert failed a late fitness test for Celtic and Jackie McNamara was also absent as Colin Healy and Stilian Petrov's selection gave the midfield an unfamiliar look.

Olivier Tebily was missing from the Celtic defence after his military camp ordeal with the Ivory Coast in the wake of their African Nations Cup exit, but Alan Stubbs was fit to start.

Hearts were without striker Gary McSwegan and Stephane Adam's comeback only made it as far as the bench, meaning Darren Jackson was restored to the fold against his former club.

Celtic's usual Parkhead policy is to attack from the outset, but it proved a flat opening as a stubborn Hearts denied the home team any genuine opportunities.

John Barnes' men's first attack of note was in the 15th minute when Viduka had a shot charged down and from the resulting corner was played back in by Berkovic only to angle a shot wide.

Celtic moved ahead with a goal out of virtually nothing on 18 minutes when Johan Mjallby's intelligent pass picked out the clever Moravcik, who spun and fired home from the edge of the area.

The effort left Hearts keeper Antti Niemi rooted to the spot and once again outlined the veteran Slovakian's value to the Celtic cause, the goal at once shifting the balance of the contest.

Hearts' frustration was embodied by Fitzroy Simpson's clumsy challenge on Petrov which brought about the game's first booking with Celtic now firmly in charge.

A fluid Celtic move after 27 minutes culminated in Eyal Berkovic threading the ball through for Viduka whose first shot was blocked by Niemi with the rebound promptly sent over the bar.

Viduka made amends two minutes later, but in truth it was a goal of Hearts' making as they were ruthlessly punished for a failure to clear their lines as Celtic doubled their lead.

A Moravcik shot from the left-hand side was fumbled by Niemi and while Steven Pressley was first to the loose ball he gave it straight back to the Slovakian.

A grateful Moravcik promptly crossed it into the centre for an unmarked Viduka to power in a header from close range which looked to have sealed the points.

However, just three minutes later a Jackson pass exposed a huge gap in the centre of the Celtic back-line and Cameron slotted beyond Jonathan Gould to keep the match very much alive.

Hearts' goal unsettled Celtic and their loss of composure was evident in Petrov's reckless foul on Wales which earned him a booking, while Mahe was fortunate to avoid being carded for dissent moments later.

Viduka spurned a clear opening to put Celtic 3-1 ahead after 42 minutes when Mahe found time and space on the left before squaring for the Australian to stumble and miskick in front of goal.

Hearts were bright right from the restart, clearly lifted by Cameron's goal, though Celtic came close from Moravcik's curled free-kick just wide on 50 minutes.

However just five minutes later Hearts' shock comeback was complete as after Petrov lost out to Cameron in the centre Simpson was on hand to release Naysmith who drove home in style.

Celtic's response was an urgent double substitution, Berkovic and Mjallby making way for striker Mark Burchill and attacking midfielder Tommy Johnson to salvage the game.

Yet it was Hearts who threatened next, Naysmith's pass putting Cameron through the centre again, but this time Gould was able to save with his legs to avoid further Celtic misery.

Moravcik received a kind break of the ball moments later at the other end but he too was denied by the keeper, Niemi's fine save keeping the score at 2-2.

Remarkably worse was to come for Celtic as after 84 minutes Hearts won a penalty when Johnson as adjudged to have pushed Jackson inside the area.

Cameron stepped up to rifle the ball beyond the reach of Gould and achieve what half an hour into this match looked impossible - a 3-2 lead for the visitors after trailing 2-0.

Celtic were frantic now, but in the 88th minute luck eluded them when Healy's shot struck a post and Moravcik was somehow unable to convert the rebound to recover even a point.

Teams

Celtic: Gould, Riseth, Stubbs, Boyd, Mahe (Blinker 74), Petrov, Healy, Mjallby (Johnson 62), Berkovic (Burchill 62), Viduka, Moravcik.

Subs Not Used: Kerr, Petta.

Booked: Petrov.

Goals: Moravcik 18, Viduka 28.

Hearts: Niemi, Pressley, Murray, Petric, Naysmith, Flogel, Cameron, Simpson, Tomaschek, Jackson (Adam 85), Wales (Kirk 85).

Subs Not Used: Rousset, Makel, Severin.


Taken from sportinglife.com