Hearts have finished second in the Premiership as a gut-wrenching 3-1 loss against Celtic keeps the title at Parkhead, ending maroon league glory dreams.
A dogged first half played out as Hearts battled inspirationally for at least the point that would cement iconic status in Gorgie. Lawrence Shankland headed them ahead before Arne Engels’ spot kick leveller before the break. Then after a VAR review, Daizen Maeda tapped home from a home cross to wreck Jambos dreams of breaking up the Old Firm control on the title. Celtic win their fifth title in succession after Callum Osmand’s tap-in proved academic for the hosts.
It was all down to this. Avoid defeat against the defending champions on their own patch and Hearts could call themselves top flight champions for the first time since 1960. Boss Derek McInnes made bold team selection calls to get his team over the line with Frankie Kent, Claudio Braga and Blair Spittal replaced by Stephen Kingsley, Pierre Landry Kabore and Jordi Altena after Wednesday’s win over Falkirk.
A capacity Celtic crowd dwarfed the just over 700 Jambos inside Parkhead as Hearts were forced to deal with a raucous atmosphere like no other, with the hosts needing victory, trailing the league leaders from Gorgie by a point. Hearts coped admirably with a Parkhead on fire and managed to turn that noise into frustration that could work in their favour. They weren’t creating many chances but didn’t have to with 0-0 enough to be the best-ever version of that result in maroon history.
Things had turned dogged and scrappy but grinding out results is one of the many areas where this truly remarkable Hearts side have excelled. They limited Celtic to virtually nothing and struck with their big chance, a great corner by Stephen Kingsley headed home by Shankland, but joy would not last long. Referee Don Robertson pointed to the penalty spot after an Alexandros Kyziridis handball off a Kieran Tierney cross and Engels dispatched a leveller that was cruel on the visitors.
They were still in a position that claimed glory though and had been the better team, but it gave Celtic a lifeline, after a poor first 45. More injury heartbreak in a season full of it at Hearts ensued immediately after half-time when Beni Baningime went down off the ball with a suspected hamstring injury. Hearts were hanging on in there as their opponents threw attacking sub after attacking sub at them, Kelechi Iheanacho hitting the post, then Benjamin Nygren forcing a great save out of Alexander Schwolow.
Maeda would eventually pounce on a Marcelo Saracchi cross late in the second half to create a heartbreaking scenario akin to 1986 when the club lost the title on the final day. Osmand’s late tap in after Hearts chucked everyone forward merely added a goal to the score line with title dreams already gone. It has still been an incredible campaign for the club but this will take some time to get over heading into term 26/27. Here’s how we rated the Hearts players in their final Premiership match of the season against Celtic.
1. Alexander Schwolow - 7/10
Will perhaps be disappointed diving over Engels spot kick. Great save in second half. | SNS Group
2. Michael Steinwender - 9/10
Brave challenge early in the first half almost cost him his game. Utterly dominant after that, best game in a maroon jersey, you could argue. | SNS Group
3. Stuart Findlay - 9/10
The leader at the back didn't give a lively Daizen Maeda a sniff until it became too many bodies to deal with. A brilliant season. | SNS Group
4. Stephen Kingsley - 8/10
Brilliant corner for the goal and helped calm the team down when cool heads were needed. Great performance but eventually overwhelmed at back. | SNS Group