SPL: Celtic 1 Hearts 0

Dec 11 2011 by Scott McDermott, Sunday Mail
Victor Wanyama goal

Celtic take the lead against Hearts via Victor Wanyama's strike

THE score could easily have mirrored a Hearts wage slip and stayed blank.

But Victor Wanyama made the Jambos pay by netting a sensational winner to seal a vital three points for Celtic.

And Hoops keeper Fraser Forster rubber-stamped the victory with a crucial penalty save at the death from a distraught Eggert Jonsson.

For long spells at Parkhead it looked as though the Edinburgh side would emerge with an unlikely draw.

It was always going to take a piece of brilliance to win it - and Wanyama delivered 18 minutes from time.

Paulo Sergio’s side then could have nicked a draw when the Kenyan was found guilty of handball in his own box.

However, Forster denied Jonsson with a super stop to send Parkhead wild.

The match ended in controversy as both sets of players clashed before heading up the tunnel, with Celtic skipper Scott Brown involved in a tussle with Jamie Hamill.

Whether ref Calum Murray or SPL match delegate Willie McDougall will report the incident remains to be seen but it shouldn’t overshadow the key moments in the game.

And Hoops boss Neil Lennon might look back on Wanyama’s strike and Forster’s save as pivotal if his side become champions.

Prior to kick-off this looked like a mismatch and the vast majority of Celtic’s fans turned up expecting an easy win.

After all, this was a team rejuvenated in the title race after five straight wins against a Hearts side clueless about when they might get their next pay packet.

On top of that, Sergio’s men had lost at home to St Johnstone last week and visited Glasgow’s East End minus experienced duo Andy Webster and John Sutton.

Czech midfielder Rudi Skacel was dropped as the Jambos gaffer made three changes, with Ian Black, Ryan Stevenson and Scott Robinson restored to the side.

Celtic, on the other hand, had no such worries and you felt only complacency could prevent a victory that would keep up the pressure on Rangers.

Lennon had to do without the injured Adam Matthews but Charlie Mulgrew slotted in at left-back in the only alteration to the side that beat Dundee United.

Hearts arrived at Celtic Park just 75 minutes before kick-off – but you could have forgiven them for not turning up at all.

After waiting more than three weeks for their October wage, the November salary is now almost a month overdue as well.

And with Vladimir Romanov nowhere to be seen, you wondered about motivation levels against the in-form Hoops.

But the Gorgie outfit showed no signs of slackness early on and instead it was Lennon’s team who were wasteful in possession, with Wanyama particularly culpable of giving the ball away.

Hearts looked to get their wide men, David Templeton and Mehdi Taouil, on the ball to support lone frontman Stevenson.

And with a solid-looking back four and midfield three, it was clear the Jambos wouldn’t be turned over.

The home side earned a flurry of first-half set-pieces around the Hearts’ box but, if anything, it was the visitors who looked more of a threat on the counter attack.

A sign of how well Sergio’s side were coping was that Celtic’s first real chance took 32 minutes to materialise.

James Forrest’s fizzed ball across goal was missed by Jambos skipper Marius Zaliukas, allowing Gary Hooper to turn five yards out. But the Clydesdale Bank Player of the Month squandered the opportunity by toe-poking his shot inches wide.

Celtic were enjoying more of the ball and a territorial advantage but were struggling to break down their stubborn opponents, although Anthony Stokes stung the palms of Marian Kello with a rasping 25-yarder.

But if Hearts had been more decisive on the break - particularly youngsters Templeton and Robinson - they could have breached a Celtic back-line that suddenly looked ropey again.

And that’s precisely why Glenn Loovens was hooked at the break for Scott Brown as Lennon switched Wanyama to centre-back and hoped his captain could inject a bit of energy into his side.

But as the Celtic support tried to lift their team, Hearts successfully took the sting out of the game - and looked pretty dangerous when they worked the ball into the final third.

Robinson had their best chance in 58 minutes when the Hoops defence failed to deal with a Stevenson cross but the midfielder slipped at the vital moment and couldn’t get any power in his shot.

At the other end, Brown teed up Beram Kayal - who was hugely disappointing - but the Israeli’s effort was smothered comfortably by keeper Kello.

On the hour, Celtic almost grabbed the opener. Forrest drove at full-back Ryan McGowan and produced a terrific cross for Stokes but the Irishman’s header crashed off the bar with Kello beaten.

They needed a bit of inspiration and with 18 minutes left it came courtesy of Wanyama. Hearts couldn’t clear their lines and when Mulgrew laid the ball off to the Kenyan there looked to be no danger.

But he conjured up a moment of brilliance with a stunning 25-yard strike that flew past Kello and nestled in the top corner.

The goal was greeted by a sense of elation and relief around the stadium while Lennon simply stood in his technical area with one hand in the air.

Georgios Samaras should have made it 2-0 from sub Ki Sung-Yueng’s free-kick but glanced his header wide. The Greek then nodded straight at Kello as Celtic tried to put the game to bed.

Hearts threw on a trio of subs in a desperate bid to salvage something and one of them, Andy Driver, set up Taouil brilliantly only for Forster to save the Moroccan’s effort.

Then, with two minutes left, the Jambos got a reward for their graft.

Stephen Elliott’s back-heel inside the box was saved by Forster and in the melee referee Murray pointed to the spot for an apparent handball from Wanyama. Jonsson stepped up but Forster pulled off a cracking save.

Whether the Icelander was put off by a bit of gamesmanship by Samaras - who complained to Murray about the ball not being on the spot - is anyone’s guess.

But it proved to be costly miss for the Jambos.

Taken from the Daily Record