Celtic are champions again as Hearts title dream is shattered late on
Hearts endured last-day devastation as Martin O’Neill’s Celtic pipped the long-time leaders at the post to become champions of Scotland for the fifth season in succession following a dramatic climax to an enthralling William Hill Premiership campaign.
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Derek McInnes’ Jambos – having been top all the way since late September – arrived at a partisan Celtic Park knowing they only needed a draw to claim the top-flight title for the first time since 1960.
But the Edinburgh club’s stunning bid for glory, which made headlines worldwide, ended in the cruellest fashion as Celtic eked out a 3-1 victory over their title rivals through late goals by Daizen Maeda and substitute Callum Osmand, with the second of those sparking a pitch invasion that led to the shattered Hearts players having to be escorted down the tunnel to safety.
The dramatic triumph capped a sensational return to management for 74-year-old O’Neill, who had an eight-game stint as interim boss following Brendan Rodgers’ departure in October before stepping back into the breach in January in the wake of Wilfried Nancy’s short, ill-fated reign.
After coming through a season of turbulence to secure a 56th top-flight title – taking them one ahead of city rivals Rangers – Celtic also booked themselves a Champions League play-off for next season.
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Second-placed Hearts will have to console themselves with entering the second qualifying round of the same tournament as they lick their wounds following a devastating end to a campaign in which they racked up a record points tally and came tantalisingly close to ending four decades of Old Firm dominance.
The sense of bitterness is likely to linger long for supporters of the Tynecastle club after some highly-contentious refereeing decisions went against them last weekend and on Wednesday before they missed out on the title on the final day for the fourth time since 1959.
After a run of six consecutive league wins for Celtic had kept their hopes alive into the last day, O’Neill sent out the same team that started at Motherwell on Wednesday as he sought the final win he needed to overhaul the long-time leaders.
There was a surprise in the Hearts line-up as PFA Scotland Player of the Year Claudio Braga started on the bench.
The visitors made an assured start and managed to frustrate the crowd for long periods of the first half and they went ahead in the 43rd minute when Lawrence Shankland ghosted in unmarked at the back post to head home Stephen Kingsley’s corner from the right.
But the hosts equalised in first-half stoppage time when Kieran Tierney’s cross from the left struck the hand of Alexandros Kyziridis and Arne Engels stepped up to slot the penalty beyond Alexander Schwolow, who dived the right way.
As tension grew in the second half, Celtic threatened twice in quick succession when Kelechi Iheanacho struck a post in the 79th minute before Benjamin Nygren’s effort was tipped over by Schwolow.
And they eventually ground down the long-time leaders when Maeda turned home Osmand’s cross from close range in the 88th minute.
As Hearts threw bodies forward, including goalkeeper Schwolow, to try to salvage their dream, Osmand ran clear to knock the ball into an empty net, taking the Hoops to the summit for the first time in almost eight months and bringing Celtic supporters streaming on to the pitch to celebrate.