Celtic were their own worst enemy at Parkhead as they put rivals Rangers
firmly in control of the title race by falling victim to an astonishing Hearts
fightback.
Trailing 2-0 after half an hour, Hearts refused to accept their fate and
produced a thrilling recovery culminating in a penalty winner from Colin Cameron
just six minutes from time.
Celtic went into this game nine points behind Scottish Premier League leaders
Rangers and now the Ibrox outfit can move a massive 12 clear if they secure
victory at Hibernian on Sunday.
Despite a sluggish start, Celtic found their momentum in the wake of a
brilliant long-range effort from Lubomir Moravcik after 15 minutes and seemed to
have taken charge of the game.
Mark Viduka's 29th-minute header, effectively a gift after poor Hearts
defending, looked to have presented Celtic with a cushion - but they promptly
fell asleep on it.
Within three minutes Hearts had halved the home team's advantage through
Cameron and thereafter Celtic's nerve failed them and with it went a game which
had looked won.
Hearts sensed Celtic's concerns and set about their second-half task with
renewed vigour, first levelling when Gary Naysmith struck after 55 minutes then
going one better via Cameron's spot-kick.
After a series of one-sided SPL encounters, here at last had been a truly
competitive game involving one side of the Old Firm. But it is the other half of
the Glasgow divide who will be celebrating it most.
Paul Lambert failed a late fitness test for Celtic and Jackie McNamara was
also absent as Colin Healy and Stilian Petrov's selection gave the midfield an
unfamiliar look.
Olivier Tebily was missing from the Celtic defence after his military camp
ordeal with the Ivory Coast in the wake of their African Nations Cup exit, but
Alan Stubbs was fit to start.
Hearts were without striker Gary McSwegan and Stephane Adam's comeback only
made it as far as the bench, meaning Darren Jackson was restored to the fold
against his former club.
Celtic's usual Parkhead policy is to attack from the outset, but it proved a
flat opening as a stubborn Hearts denied the home team any genuine
opportunities.
John Barnes' men's first attack of note was in the 15th minute when Viduka had
a shot charged down and from the resulting corner was played back in by Berkovic
only to angle a shot wide.
Celtic moved ahead with a goal out of virtually nothing on 18 minutes when
Johan Mjallby's intelligent pass picked out the clever Moravcik, who spun and
fired home from the edge of the area.
The effort left Hearts keeper Antti Niemi rooted to the spot and once again
outlined the veteran Slovakian's value to the Celtic cause, the goal at once
shifting the balance of the contest.
Hearts' frustration was embodied by Fitzroy Simpson's clumsy challenge on
Petrov which brought about the game's first booking with Celtic now firmly in
charge.
A fluid Celtic move after 27 minutes culminated in Eyal Berkovic threading the
ball through for Viduka whose first shot was blocked by Niemi with the rebound
promptly sent over the bar.
Viduka made amends two minutes later, but in truth it was a goal of Hearts'
making as they were ruthlessly punished for a failure to clear their lines as
Celtic doubled their lead.
A Moravcik shot from the left-hand side was fumbled by Niemi and while Steven
Pressley was first to the loose ball he gave it straight back to the Slovakian.
A grateful Moravcik promptly crossed it into the centre for an unmarked Viduka
to power in a header from close range which looked to have sealed the points.
However, just three minutes later a Jackson pass exposed a huge gap in the
centre of the Celtic back-line and Cameron slotted beyond Jonathan Gould to keep
the match very much alive.
Hearts' goal unsettled Celtic and their loss of composure was evident in
Petrov's reckless foul on Wales which earned him a booking, while Mahe was
fortunate to avoid being carded for dissent moments later.
Viduka spurned a clear opening to put Celtic 3-1 ahead after 42 minutes when
Mahe found time and space on the left before squaring for the Australian to
stumble and miskick in front of goal.
Hearts were bright right from the restart, clearly lifted by Cameron's goal,
though Celtic came close from Moravcik's curled free-kick just wide on 50
minutes.
However just five minutes later Hearts' shock comeback was complete as after
Petrov lost out to Cameron in the centre Simpson was on hand to release Naysmith
who drove home in style.
Celtic's response was an urgent double substitution, Berkovic and Mjallby
making way for striker Mark Burchill and attacking midfielder Tommy Johnson to
salvage the game.
Yet it was Hearts who threatened next, Naysmith's pass putting Cameron through
the centre again, but this time Gould was able to save with his legs to avoid
further Celtic misery.
Moravcik received a kind break of the ball moments later at the other end but
he too was denied by the keeper, Niemi's fine save keeping the score at 2-2.
Remarkably worse was to come for Celtic as after 84 minutes Hearts won a
penalty when Johnson as adjudged to have pushed Jackson inside the area.
Cameron stepped up to rifle the ball beyond the reach of Gould and achieve
what half an hour into this match looked impossible - a 3-2 lead for the
visitors after trailing 2-0.
Celtic were frantic now, but in the 88th minute luck eluded them when Healy's
shot struck a post and Moravcik was somehow unable to convert the rebound to
recover even a point.
Teams
Celtic: Gould, Riseth, Stubbs, Boyd, Mahe (Blinker 74), Petrov,
Healy, Mjallby (Johnson 62), Berkovic (Burchill 62), Viduka,
Moravcik.
Subs Not Used: Kerr, Petta.
Booked: Petrov.
Goals: Moravcik 18, Viduka 28.
Hearts: Niemi, Pressley, Murray, Petric, Naysmith, Flogel,
Cameron, Simpson, Tomaschek, Jackson (Adam 85), Wales (Kirk 85).
Subs Not Used: Rousset, Makel, Severin.
Booked: Simpson, Petric.
Goals: Cameron 31, Naysmith 55, Cameron 83 pen.
Att: 59,896
Ref: John Rowbotham (Scotland).
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