Late Velicka penalty denies Celtic win

HEARTS 1
Velicka 90

CELTIC 1
McDonald 73

ANDRIUS VELICKA inflicted further damage on Celtic with a late penalty equaliser to deny the SPL champions victory in Edinburgh on Saturday.

The Lithuanian striker's two goals eliminated Gordon Strachan's side from the CIS Insurance Cup in October, and his confidently dispatched spot-kick rescued a deserved point for Hearts after an error by Anthony Basso had gifted Scott McDonald the opening goal.

In a largely unremarkable match, both sides were occasionally profligant in the penalty area until Celtic moved ahead. The hosts toiled to break their visitors down as full-time neared, however, following Gary Caldwell's push on Ibrahim Tall's back, Velicka showed commendable nerve to restore parity and gain a point for his club.

The draw sees Hearts remain 11 points off the leaders but, in truth, a share of the spoils was a justified result from the afternoon.

Both teams detailed two enforced changes on a bitingly cold afternoon in Edinburgh. Steven Pressley and Darren O'Dea replaced John Kennedy and Lee Naylor for Celtic whilst Hearts deployed Ibrahim Tall and Ruben Palazuelos instead of Eggert Jonsson and Michael Stewart.

Paul Hartley returned to Tynecastle for the first time, enduring notable verbal barracking during the early stages along with Pressley and former Hibs midfielder Scott Brown.

Hearts spurned a fine opening after just two minutes, the kind Celtic rarely allow. Larry Kingston powered down the right flank to feed Christian Nade, whose lay-off arrived at Audrius Ksanavicius via Palazuelos. Unmarked, the Lithuanian drove the ball wide of the far post as the Celtic goal beckoned.

Following a speculative long-range attempt from Jiri Jarosik, Christophe Berra nodded a Larry Kingston cross marginally over the crossbar at the opposite end.

Celtic were content to retain possession in their own half and ping long balls towards the attacking due of Scott McDonald and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. This, however, brought only marginal success during an opening period that became less frenetic with each passing minute.

Andy Driver curled a 30th-minute free-kick past Artur Boruc's left post but Hearts were fortunate not to concede a moment later. Vennegoor of Hesselink flicked Aiden McGeady's right-sided cross into McDonald and, from eight yards, the striker's shot spun over Anthony Basso's bar.

Hearts fashioned another opportunity down the right with Jarosik consistently failing to fulfil his defensive duties. Andy Driver, Nade and Kingston combined but the African's final shot didn't trouble Boruc. Kingston's forward foray seconds later would have produced more had referee Kenny Clark not ignored two fouls by Brown on the Ghanaian.

A needless and pointless chorus of "Ooh, aah up the 'Ra" early in the second half from the travelling support was unsurprisingly not well received by Tynecastle's natives. Clearly there still exists a mindless minority within Parkhead, and Hearts fans became further enraged when Boruc emerged from his penalty box to take Nade out in a 53rd-minute aerial challenge.

Clark refused the Frenchman a foul and he was later replaced by Andrius Velicka.

A goal was required to enliven proceedings and it arrived by virtue of Basso's mistake. Ibrahim Tall's challenge on Vennegoor of Hesselink provided Hartley with a set-piece 25 yards out.

The midfielder promptly unleashed a vicious swerving shot that Basso could only palm into the path of the onrushing McDonald, who didn't need asking twice tuck the ball home.

Basso denied McGeady soon after but Hearts' late onslaught brought a deserved stoppage-time equaliser from the penalty spot.

Ksanavicius' powerful drive was pushed into the air by Boruc and as Tall rushed in referee Clark ajudged that he was impeded by Gary Caldwell.

Velicka emphatically dispatched the ball into the corner from 12 yards to put a fair reflection on proceedings.

Hearts (4-4-1-1): Basso; Neilson, Tall, Berra, Goncalves; Driver, Zaliukas, Palazuelos, Ksanavicius; Nade. Subs: Banks, Wallace, Elliot 79 (for Zaliukas), McGowan, Mikoliunas 79 (for Driver), Velicka 71 (for Nade), Ivaskevicius.

Celtic (4-4-2): Boruc; Caldwell, Pressley, McManus, O'Dea; McGeady, S Brown, Hartley, Jarosik; Vennegoor of Hesselink, McDonald. Subs: M Brown, Killen 88 (for Vennegoor of Hesselink), Zurawski, Donati, Sno, Riordan, Caddis.

Attendance: 16,454.

Referee: Kenny Clark.

Taken from the Scotsman