Match report as Celtic come from behind to beat Hearts 3-1 in Ange Postecoglou's 100th game in charge; Josh Ginnelly opened the scoring for Hearts; Daizen Maeda equalised before half-time; Kyogo Furuhashi fired the leaders ahead in the 60th minute; Sead Haksabanovic made it three late on
Thursday 9 March 2023 16:34, UK
Celtic survived an early scare to make Ange Postecoglou's 100th game in charge one to remember.
Hearts - without top scorer Lawrence Shankland - shocked the Hoops when Josh Ginnelly headed in an early opener.
But Daizen Maeda grabbed a first-half equaliser and Kyogo Furuhashi fired in on the hour before Sead Haksabanovic's stunning strike secured the victory.
Celtic's eighth straight league win leaves them nine points clear in the title race, while Hearts are five clear of Hibernian in third after they lost 4-1 to Rangers.
The teams will meet again in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals on Saturday at Tynecastle and both managers made changes with the schedule in mind.
Celtic brought in Anthony Ralston, Alexandro Bernabei, Matt O'Riley and Liel Abada with Greg Taylor dropping out of the 20-man squad.
Hearts made six changes with the likes of Lawrence Shankland, Alex Cochrane and Robert Snodgrass absent.
Postecoglou was visibly frustrated with some of his players' decisions to pass the ball back in the opening stages and his mood worsened when Hearts took a sixth-minute lead.
Jorge Grant found Andy Halliday in space up the left flank and the former Rangers player delivered an inviting far-post cross which Ginnelly converted with a diving header. Replays showed the forward was level with Carl Starfelt when the ball came in.
Celtic took until midway through the half before creating clear-cut chances. Abada scuffed a shot wide and Furuhashi got underneath a header in quick succession.
The equaliser soon came after Ralston sent Furuhashi into the channel. The forward delivered a low cross to his fellow Japan international Maeda to slide in and finish from six yards. Furuhashi was flagged offside but Halliday had played him on.
Maeda had collided with Zander Clark when scoring and was soon replaced by Jota but the Japanese contingent was soon bolstered when Hearts forward Yutaro Oda came on for Ginnelly.
Both sides had chances before the break. Joe Hart saved from Grant and Alan Forrest while Jota hit the post with a bouncing effort and Ralston was not far over the bar with an acrobatic overhead kick.
Aaron Mooy and Cameron Carter-Vickers were off target with efforts after the break before Jota began the move that led to Celtic's second goal by dispossessing Cammy Devlin just inside the Hearts half. The Portuguese winger played the ball inside for Mooy, who played a perfect pass to feed the clever movement of Furuhashi, who shot high past Clark.
Abada soon had the chance to set up Furuhashi after Ralston's excellent pass inside the full-back but the winger sent his low cross into Clark's hands.
Hearts lost substitute Oda to injury with Garang Kuol the latest to lead the line. The Australian had a shot well blocked by Carter-Vickers in a rare second-half Hearts attack before Haksabanovic put the game beyond doubt.
Ange Postecoglou speaking to Sky Sports:
"We weren't at our best, couldn't get into a rhythm. I made changes which disrupts things so I've got to make an allowance for that. But we showed a strong mentality to get the job done, scoring three quality goals. That was the highlight of the night."
On Furuhashi's form: "We still don't use him as well as we should. I got really frustrated as he was making some fantastic runs and after 18 months we should know the times to play him in. The beauty of him is that he doesn't get frustrated even if I do and he keeps making those runs. He was outstanding again."
Hearts boss Robbie Neilson:
"To be honest I thought it was a shambles, the whole thing. First time I have ever seen no yellow card but it goes to a VAR for serious foul play.
"I'm sure Alan will look at it and firstly be disappointed with his own decision but secondly that he wasn't asked to go and look at the VAR screen because I think, if he goes and sees it, it's maybe a different outcome.
"But usually you come to Parkhead and need a decapitation before you get a red card against them. It wasn't to be. It was nearly a leg off but if the head came off we might have got it.
"For periods of the game I thought we played really well. Our shape was great, we pressed really well but the most pleasing thing was we passed the ball very well.
"There were passages of play where we popped the ball through them and very rarely do you see that at Parkhead."
The two sides meet again on Saturday in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Tynecastle Park, kick-off 12.15pm.
Celtic's next Scottish Premiership match is at home to Hibernian on 18 March, while Hearts are away to Aberdeen on the same day. Both games kick off at 3pm.
