It was title coronation day in the capital for Celtic as Kyogo broke Hearts to fire Ange Postecoglou’s men over the Premiership finishing line.
Sub Hyeon-gyu Oh bagged a late second to make sure of the three points and keep the trophy tucked up in the Parkhead trophy room for the second year on the bounce. Postecoglou’s men were made to scrap all the way by a superb Jambos side – who threw the kitchen sink at Celtic but suffered from a controversial VAR red card to Alex Cochrane just before half-time.
Steven Naismith’s men had the Hoops spinning before the defender was punished for clipping Daizen Maeda after a ball in behind. Celts still struggled to find a breakthrough until Kyogo buried Reo Hatate’s cross midway through the second period to settle the nerves and Oh nabbed a second to seal it.
Kyogo hit the 30 goal mark for the term but suffered another shoulder injury in the process – which will be a concern with Rangers up next and the Scottish Cup Final ahead. It was a sore one for the Jambos as well though.
Hearts weren’t interested in playing hosts for a title party – with plenty on the line for themselves. And it was the Jambos who started at breakneck pace. It almost took Celts by surprise as they steamed in during a frantic early assault that had Joe Hart punching, Kobayashi scrambling and the outside of the post licked after a Key Rowles drilled low drive.
Carl Starfelt had to hook over his own bar as well in a high-pressing, high-octane Hearts start. They harassed Hoops were getting a dose of their own medicine and having to hang on.
The likes of Cammy Devlin, Lawrence Shankland and Yuturo Odu were working like the clappers and the visitors were shaken right out of their usual comfort zone.
It took more than 20 minutes for Celtic to threaten when Callum McGregor’s charge up the pitch teed up Reo Hatate to blast wide from long range.
The pace dropped and the sting was removed as the Parkhead men gradually came into the game. But there was another sniff for Rowles at the other end when he headed over the top from Barrie McKay’s clipped free kick.
Hearts day was about to turn for the worst though as Cochrane was sent packing just before the break for tugging back Maeda after a ball over the top from Starfelt.
It took VAR to step in and overturn an original yellow card and spark outrage around the home stands. The mood was only marginally improved VAR rubber stamped the decision to rule out Starfelt’s close range effort after Tony Ralston had strayed offside.
Hearts were always going to struggle to maintain the wild pace – but the sending off changed the entire gameplan. Yet Celtic still struggled to carve out much more than the occasional half chance, with Hatate nudging over and Greg Taylor dragging wide.
Hearts were holding firm, but it only takes a second for this side to pounce. McGregor supplied the killer pass over the top to Hatate and he squared for Kyogo to produce a trademark finish at the near post after 67 minutes.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of Hearts and it was party time in the capital when sub Aaron Mooy’s drilled cross from the left flank was diverted into the far corner by Oh.
Champion Spirit
Celtic were miles below their best in Gorgie – mainly because of how Hearts played – but yet again they found a way to get the job done. And that is why the Hoops have been crowned champions once more.
Ange Postecoglou’s side have thrilled for much of this season, producing slick football and scoring tons of goals. But they’ve also shown they can dig deep when the circumstances demand it.
The Hoops did it at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final win against Rangers and repeated the feat against unfortunate Hearts. Celts had failed to muster a decent attempt on goal before a moment of magic opened up the Jambos defence and made the difference.
It was no surprise the goal was made by three player fo the year contenders.
Callum McGregor’s ball over the top, Reo Hatate with the run and cross and Kyogo hitting the near post to add the finish.
It’s a goal Hearts have seen time and time against with Kyogo hitting seven against them in two seasons – and reaching the 30 goal mark for the season.
The Japan star is front runner of the awards but the recurrence of his shoulder injury will be a worry with next week’s clash with Rangers at Ibrox in mind and the Scottish Cup Final on the horizon.
Hoops left spinning
No side this season has made Celtic suffer like Hearts did in spells at Tynecastle. The Parkhead men have had to endure tough periods in derby games and in other isolated matches.
But they’ve never been as harassed as they were for 30 odd minutes in Gorgie and as frustrated for longer. Hearts gave Celts a dose of their own medicine. High pressing, high intensity – for the first time all year we saw Ange Postecoglou’s side trying to slow a game down.
Fair play to Steven Naismith. He’s doing his permanent boss hopes the world of good with this kind of stuff. The caretaker showed he can think out of the box and send out a side to have a go.
Naismith was sent spinning into the air at one point after colliding with Jota, but the man in charge looks to have a clear head in the dugout.
More VAR-ache
Scottish football got its first taste of VAR when these sides met here back in October and it was hardly a low key start with penalty kicks and handball decisions causing all kinds of chaos.
Look how VAR we have come. The set up was back under the spotlight again with the Alex Cochrane red card flash point just before half-time.
Hearts fans raged at the decision to upgrade ref Nick Walsh’s original yellow card to a red after some prompting from Willie Collum in the Clydesdale House bunker. But was it the correct call? Cochrane did clip Daizen Maeda when the Celt was through on goal, so, by the letter of the law it was probably the right decision.
But it could also be argued cover was on the way, so it looked like a call that was down to interpretation. That’s the point though with VAR. It’s meant to jump in when the ref has made a clear and obvious error.
Was it a clear and obvious error to just book Cochrane? Again, it’s up for debate. Funny thing is, VAR was brought in to end arguments…
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