Dominant Celts triumph at Tynecastle

By: Laura Brannan on 28 Nov, 2012 21:28

November 28, 2012
Scottish Premier League
Tynecastle
Att: 15, 264

HEARTS 0

CELTIC 4
(Lassad 10, Lustig 22, Stevenson og 31, Hooper 84)

CELTIC produced an excellent display in Tynecastle as they beat Hearts 4-0 in an entertaining and comprehensive SPL victory.

Lassad opened the scoring before Mikael Lustig doubled the Hoops' advantage. A Ryan Stevenson own goal just after the half-hour mark made it three for Celtic before a late strike from Gary Hooper sealed the points.

Marius Zaliukas was denied by the outstanding Fraser Forster when he struck a controversial penalty at the death but the win was already in the bag for the visitors.

Neil Lennon made three changes to the side which lost to Inverness Caledonian Thistle at the weekend with Georgios Samaras, Adam Matthews and Tony Watt dropping to the bench. Joe Ledley, Kelvin Wilson and Lassad came into the side.

The first half began in a typically frantic and heated fashion inside Tynecastle but it took Celtic just 10 minutes to find the breakthrough. Kris Commons made a break down the left flank and sending the ball to the back post, Lassad was there to drill the ball beyond Jamie MacDonald.

But the game still didn’t settle despite the Hoops taking the lead. Hearts continued to push forward, but so too did Celtic and it produced an entertaining end-to-end battle.

On 15 minutes Hearts swung a free kick into the box but Callum Paterson wasn’t able to angle the ball into the net from a couple of yards out. It went just past the post instead.

But less than 60 seconds later Kris Commons was causing Hearts problems in their own box. He had a shot blocked and was quickly closed down as he tried to pounce on the rebound.

Mulgrew sent an ambitious right-footed effort just over on 21 minutes but it was less than a minute later Celtic found the net for the second time. Lassad played the ball in and Commons had the initial shot but it was Lustig who slid in to finish the low ball into the bottom of the net.

The Hoops had a two-goal advantage but Hearts still refused to sit back. They pushed forward and forced Forster into an outstanding double save. Mulgrew then blocked the third attempt before Ryan McGowan slammed the ball into the side netting.

Despite the attacking prowess of the Edinburgh side, though, Celtic found a third goal six minutes later, just after the half-hour mark. Mulgrew sent another good ball in from the byline which Stevenson turned it into his own net.

The own goal made it 3-0 and the match settled for the remainder of the first half. Shortly after the restart Hearts came close to pulling a goal back. Kevin McHattie forced Forster into a save, and it was a wonderful block to deny the teenager.

Commons and Lassad both had chances at the opposite end but neither could add to Celtic´s tally. That was quickly followed up by the introduction of Brown and Matthews on the 69th minute.

Eight minutes later Beram Kayal crossed the ball in for Hooper who was only a couple of yards from goal. MacDonald blocked his shot but as he and Brown went for the rebound, the flag went up for offside.

Commons then pounced on a loose ball on 83 minutes, and made a blistering run on goal, but the outstretched MacDonald got his fingertips to the low drive.

Just seconds later, though, Celtic scored their fourth of the evening. This time Mulgrew and Brown combined before the ball was sent in for Hooper, and he side-footed it into the net from six yards out to extend his side´s lead.

The drama didn’t end there. Hearts were awarded a soft penalty three minutes from full time, and Zaliukas stepped up to take it. But Forster continued his excellent form and rounded off a great performance with a confident block on the deck and keep the scoreline at 4-0.

HEARTS (4-4-1-1): MacDonald; McHattie, Zaliukas, Webster, R. McGowan; Walker (Driver 68), Barr, D. McGowan (Robinson 63), Stevenson; Holt (Taouil 58), Paterson
Subs not used: Enckelman, Sutton, Smith, Novikovas

CELTIC (4-4-2): Forster, Lustig (Matthews 69), Ambrose, Wilson, Mulgrew, Commons, Kayal, Wanyama, Ledley (Brown 69), Lassad (Samaras 80), Hooper.
Subs not used: Zaluska, Miku, Watt, McGeouch

Man of the Match: Charlie Mulgrew