2008-11-02: Hearts 0-2 Celtic, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 2008 – 2009 | 2008-2009 Pictures

Trivia

Missed a penalty!
First away game this year we've not conceded a goal
Donatti subbed on in this game!
Naka, Samras, JVoH out injured today.
Fracas between WGS & a Jambo fan in the tunnel (see story below).

Review

Despite a win, this game was definitely the clichéd a game of two halves! The first half was controlled and well run by the Celtic game and we possibly should have been further ahead by the 2-0 lead we took into half-time. The Second half on the other hand was terrible to watch, and we squandered a great chance to go 3-0 with a pathetic penalty by Hartley. For some reason we are crap at penalties, and continues on our poor run in this. Anyhow, we won and onto Man U next.

Teams

Hearts:-
Balogh, Jonsson, Zaliukas, Berra, Lee Wallace, Cesnauskis (Mikoliunas 35), Stewart, Karipidis, Aguiar (Palazuelos 79), Driver, Nade (Mole 59).
Subs Not Used:- MacDonald, Makela, Thomson, Ksanavicius.
Sent Off:- Zaliukas (51)

Celtic:-
Boruc
Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson
Maloney (McGeady 66), Scott Brown, Hartley, Robson (Donati 78)
McDonald (McCourt 89), Sheridan
Subs Not Used:- Mark Brown, Nakamura, O'Dea, Caddis.
Booked:- Hartley
Goals:- Maloney 7, Caldwell 20

Att:- 15,460
Ref:- C Thompson.

Articles

Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Match Pictures

KStreet

Pre-match
Match
MOTM
- Result – Robson (Link to MOTM Winners 2008/09)
Post Match

MOTM Barry Robson

Stats

HEARTS v CELTIC
Possession

51%

49%

Shots on target

Shots off target

Corners

Fouls

Articles

Hearts 0-2 Celtic

By Martin Conaghan

BBC

Celtic restored their lead at the top of the SPL table with a comfortable win over Hearts at Tynecastle.

Shaun Maloney opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a powerful volley from Andreas Hinkel's free-kick.

A goalmouth scramble in the 20th minute saw Gary Caldwell bundle the ball into the net from a Paul Hartley corner.

Marius Zaliukas was dismissed after 51 minutes for a rash challenge on Scott McDonald in the Hearts box, but Hartley hit the resulting penalty wide.

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo made two changes to the side which drew 1-1 with Aberdeen last week with Deividas Cesnauskis replacing Saulius Mikoliunas and Andrew Driver coming in for Ruben Palazuelos.

Stephen McManus returned to the Celtic line-up, while midfielders Massimo Donati, Shunsuke Nakamura and Aiden McGeady were consigned to the bench and in came Hartley, Barry Robson and striker Cillian Sheridan.

The match started at a furious pace with Celtic taking the lead in stunning fashion after just seven minutes when Michael Stewart fouled Robson out on the right and Hinkel delivered a searching free-kick.

Hearts keeper Janos Balogh punched clear, but Maloney struck a first-time volley with his right foot from the edge of the box that powered into the back of the net.

Hearts were jolted into action and Bruno Aguiar stepped up to deliver a free-kick in the 15th minute, but the Celtic wall held well and referee Craig Thompson waved away claims of handball.

Celtic doubled their lead in the 20th minute when a Hartley corner found McDonald's head on the six-yard line, but Balogh flapped the ball clear and a goalmouth scramble saw Caldwell poke the ball into the net.

Four minutes later, Driver's free-kick from the edge of the Celtic penalty area inched past Artur Boruc's left-hand post.

With 30 minutes played, Christian Nade broke past Caldwell down the left and flighted in a telling cross, but a scrappy Celtic defence managed to clear the danger.

Aguiar could have pulled one back for Hearts as half-time approached, but McManus blocked his shot from 20 yards out.

The frantic pace of the first-half continued after the break, with Aguiar striking the Celtic wall with a 30-yard free-kick in the opening minutes of the second-half.

Shortly after the restart, Zaliukas was dismissed for a debatable challenge on McDonald inside the penalty area, but Hartley sent the resulting penalty wide of the mark.

Celtic's claims for a second penalty were turned down in the 67th minute when Christophe Berra appeared to fell Robson near the touchline.

With less than 10 minutes left to play, Driver fired in an outswinging corner, but McDonald managed to make a clearance.

Substitute Jamie Mole tried for goal with an optimistic low drive as the minutes ticked away, but Boruc gathered comfortably to keep a clean sheet for the first time away from home this season.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"We came here with a team that was ready to deal with the game that was coming to us today, and we started off in first gear – we were right at it.

"It might not have been beautiful football, but in terms of making sure we didn't get beat and get at them, I thought we were fantastic.

"It wasn't cosmic football, but it's a different style of game when you come here.

"When it gets down to 10 men, the game's dead, and we could come down a couple of gears, similar to what Man United did to us. When you get two or three goals up you can relax and be more comfortable."

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo:
"We must accept if somebody is better than your team and we accept this and know we must work to be good, but in the second-half it was very heavy to play 11 against 10.

"In the second-half, we tried to play football, but against a team like Celtic, if you play with 10 guys, it is not very easy to create chances.

"I think at the moment, we must think about the next games and learn from this game against Celtic today, especially in the second half they dominated the game."

Hearts: Balogh, Jonsson, Zaliukas, Berra, Lee Wallace, Cesnauskis (Mikoliunas 35), Stewart, Karipidis, Aguiar (Palazuelos 79), Driver, Nade (Mole 59). Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Makela, Thomson, Ksanavicius.

Sent Off: Zaliukas (51).

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Wilson, Maloney (McGeady 66), Scott Brown, Hartley, Robson (Donati 78), McDonald (McCourt 89), Sheridan. Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Nakamura, O'Dea, Caddis.

Booked: Hartley.

Goals: Maloney 7, Caldwell 20.

Att: 15,460

Ref: C Thompson

WGS on Hartley's penalty miss:
"Paul told me that's the first one he's missed, which I find VERY surprising having seen that"

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan:
"We came here with a team that was ready to deal with the game that was coming to us today, and we started off in first gear – we were right at it.
"It might not have been beautiful football, but in terms of making sure we didn't get beat and get at them, I thought we were fantastic.

"It wasn't cosmic football, but it's a different style of game when you come here.

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo:
"We must accept if somebody is better than your team and we accept this and know we must work to be good, but in the second-half it was very heavy to play 11 against 10.
"In the second-half, we tried to play football, but against a team like Celtic, if you play with 10 guys, it is not very easy to create chances. "I think at the moment, we must think about the next games and learn from this game against Celtic today, especially in the second half they dominated the game."

Hearts to probe Strachan spat as Hoops back on top

03 November 2008

Provided by: Irish Independent

Hearts will carry out an investigation after Celtic manager Gordon Strachan was involved in a corridor spat with a Hearts fan after the Parkhead side cruised tovictory at Tynecastle to take them back to the top of the SPL.

Shaun Maloney's contender for goal of the season and a controversial goal from Gary Caldwell gave the champions a comfortable win against a 10-man Hearts side who had defender Marius Zaliukas red-carded for a 'last-man' foul on Scott McDonald, although Paul Hartley sent the resultant spot-kick wide of the target.

Maloney opened the scoring after a free kick from Andy Hinkel on the right was punched clear by the Hearts goalkeeper, Janos Balogh. Maloney was standing around 25 yards out and in the middle of the pitch as the ball dipped to his feet. He made the sweetest of first-time connections to welly it into the top right-hand corner.

It is thought that someone from corporate hospitality at Tynecastle verbally abused the Hoops boss as he came out from his post-match media briefing.

Investigation

A Hearts spokesman said: "An investigation has already started and once the individual has been identified, appropriate action will be taken.''

Strachan, who claimed he knew nothing about a newspaper story that Barcelona defender Sylvinho was a target for the Scottish champions, praised his side for their commanding win.

But ahead of the visit of Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday, Strachan was at pains to highlight the abilities of the tournament holders who beat the Hoops 3-0 at Old Trafford in the first game.

The Celtic boss said: "It was a hard game until the two goals went in and it was good that the players put themselves in that position. After that we could come down a couple of gears.

"People have spouted that Manchester United played in second gear against us.

"They were only in second gear when they got to the stage where they had scored two goals against us and remember, those two goals were offside.

He added: "Everyone in the United camp said that it wasn't easy for them, it was hard work. They couldn't find a way through and Artur Boruc didn't have a shot at him.

"Whatever happens, we won't have the same ability as them, you know that and I know that. They are the best team in the world, they are far better than Italy and France. That's the competition we are playing in.

"West Brom were there previous to us and lost 4-0, Hull have lost four, West Ham have lost two and it could have been any score and Roma lost seven.

"Whatever our failings, spirit, character and determination is not a problem. But we will need to be at our best and have a bit of luck against them.''

Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo insists his side struggled after going behind so early once again.

He said: "The loss of the early goal was key.In every game we are going a goal behind and it is terrible. We went a goal behind to Hibs and then Aberdeen and then Celtic and we have to concentrate more.

"We were two down in 20 minutes and the second goal was like a knife into us.

He added: "When I saw it again, it showed that there was a hand used, but I am not criticising the referee, it was hard for him to see it.

"I am always disappointed when we lose a game, but I wish Celtic good luck for their game against Manchester United.''

Irish Independent

CELTIC STAY FOCUSED.

03 November 2008

Provided by: Irish Times

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE – HEARTS 0 CELTIC 2:MAYBE Celtic have written off European progress after all. Any thoughts Gordon Strachan's side had one eye on Wednesday's visit of Manchester United were dismissed within 20 minutes in Edinburgh, reports Ewan Murray.

Goals from Shaun Maloney and Gary Caldwell amid arguably Celtic's most impressive opening of the season negotiated this tricky hurdle. The visitors had the luxury of missing a second-half penalty, even if their manager left Tynecastle in grumpy mood.

Hearts took 83 minutes to register a shot on target and such failings rankled with one of their followers who became involved in a spat with Strachan as he left his post-match press conference. An agitated Celtic manager told onlookers he had been called "an arsehole" by the fan who had just left a hospitality suite. No formal complaint was lodged but Hearts will be investigating the incident.

Marius Zaliukas' dismissal amid the incident that led to Paul Hartley firing a spot-kick wide on 51 minutes compounded Hearts' misery. "It was hard until the two goals went in," said Strachan. "Wednesday is a different game and we need to find a plan for that."

Fortune was on Celtic's side, with Caldwell using an arm to keep the ball in play before heading home his goal. Maloney's strike was more straightforward. Janos Balogh punched an Andreas Hinkel free-kick to the feet of the player who swerved a half-volley into the net. Guardian Service

Irish Times