Wim Jansen ended a difficult week by watching his Celtic side maintain their
lead at the top of the Premier Division.
But this was an afternoon of frustration for the head coach and the home
support.
Hearts were well organised and defended deep to take a point and keep up their
challenge.
But this top-of-the-table clash was a huge disappointment for the 50,000 fans
assembled at Celtic Park.
With so much at stake there was plenty of passion but little in the way of
measured football.
Jansen, whose contract details became public knowledge this week, has yet to
decide whether he will act on the get out clause in his contract when it expires
in June.
He has already led Celtic to the Coca-Cola Cup victory and the club could
still chalk up the treble.
They face Old Firm rivals Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final tomorrow week
and Jansen will be hoping they end their goal drought
Celtic's best chance came a minute from time when sub Simon Donnelly, who came
on in the 59th minute for the injured Jackie McNamara, got away on the right.
Donnelly thumped in a fierce shot from the edge of the area, but goalkeeper
Gilles Rousset punched the ball clean away.
McNamara was pronounced fit for the match only hours before kick-off, after
picking up an ankle injury while on Scotland duty in midweek.
Celtic pair Craig Burley and Paul Lambert missed that 2-1 defeat by Denmark
because they were suffering from ankle and knee injuries respectfully.
But they both resumed for Celtic today, and there was a buzz of anticipation
around the ground in the minutes leading up to kick-off because of the
importance of the match.
Hearts were without Gary Locke, who is recovering from a knee operation, but
they made a positive start.
David Weir, such a commanding figure today, fed Stephane Adam on the right.
His precise cross caused panic in the Celtic defence, and Lambert was happy to
scoop the ball over the bar.
Celtic found it hard to get going, although Morten Wieghorst broke away,
racing clear on goal. The Danish international went in hard on Rousset, and the
goalkeeper was clearly unhappy with his challenge.
The Glaswegians began the second half brightly, and Lambert and Alan Stubbs
linked up to get the crowd on their feet.
Celtic central defender Stubbs picked out Henrik Larsson, but he overran the
ball and Steve Fulton was able to hack it away.
Home striker Harald Brattbakk looked completely out of sorts, wilting under a
number of stiff challenges from Weir and Stefano Salvatori.
It was little surprise that the former Rosenborg star was replaced by Darren
Jackson with 25 minutes to go.
The challenges were coming in thick and fast, and Craig Burley was lucky not
to get a yellow card for squaring up to Neil McCann after the Hearts player had
been pulled back by Stubbs.
Donnelly gave Celtic the spark they were lacking, but Hearts dug deep to get a
point and maintain their recent good record against the Old Firm.
Teams:
Celtic: Gould, Boyd, Mahe (Hannah 73), McNamara (Donnelly 58),
Rieper, Stubbs, Larsson, Burley, Brattbakk (Jackson 65), Lambert,
Wieghorst.
Booked: Boyd, Rieper, Stubbs.
Hearts: Rousset, Murray, Naysmith, Weir, Salvatori, Ritchie,
McCann, Fulton, Adam (Flogel 83), Cameron, Hamilton.
Subs Not Used: McPherson, Quitongo.
Att: 50,038
Ref: B Tait (East Kilbride).
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