“Celtic Storm to the Top as Rivals Falter: Hearts’ Shankland Woes Spark Major Headache – 3 Explosive Talking Points
Kyogo Furuhashi was once again the Heartbreaker as Celtic’s star striker maintained his remarkable record against Hearts, scoring his 11th goal against the Jambos. His crucial opener at Tynecastle was followed by a rapid double from Nicolas Kuhn as Celtic stormed to a dominant 4-1 win, moving three points clear at the top of the Premiership, ahead of Aberdeen, and a commanding 11 points in front of Rangers.
Substitute Adam Idah added a late brace, including a penalty, after Musa Drammeh had briefly pulled one back for Hearts. However, the Jambos were left to rue missed opportunities in the first half, with Blair Spittal and Lawrence Shankland both squandering golden chances to take the lead. Celtic, in contrast, were clinical in front of goal, capitalizing on the chances they created.
While Celtic had plenty of possession in the first half, Hearts were the more threatening side early on. Shankland blasted a great chance wide, and Spittal’s effort was mishit. Shankland then had a header saved by Kasper Schmeichel, while Cameron Carter-Vickers made a crucial block to deny Alan Forrest’s shot. Celtic struggled to create chances, with Daizen Maeda’s header being their closest effort until the second half.
After the break, Kyogo was denied by a brilliant save from Scotland’s number one goalkeeper, Craig Gordon, but the Japanese forward made no mistake when a lucky deflection put him in on goal, with the ball eventually going in after a double deflection off Gordon. Two minutes later, Kuhn added a second, racing onto Maeda’s pass to slam the ball into the net, leaving Hearts reeling.
Hearts still had chances, but were unable to finish, with Anthony Ralston accidentally knocking the ball onto his own post, and other opportunities wasted due to indecision. It was Idah, though, who sealed the win, scoring a third after a brilliant through ball from Callum McGregor. Hearts pulled one back through Drammeh’s low shot with eight minutes remaining, but Idah added further misery with a stoppage-time penalty after James Forrest was fouled by Jorge Grant.
It was a lesson in clinical finishing as Celtic punished Hearts’ missed chances. Despite being largely dominated in the first half, Celtic showed their ruthless quality when it mattered, with Kyogo only having six touches in the first 45 minutes but making an immediate impact after the break. Kuhn, who had been quieter, proved his worth with another important goal, making it clear why he’s already contributed 11 goals and 11 assists this season.
For Hearts, it’s still early days under new manager Neil Critchley, but there are signs of progress with the team’s pressing style, led by the tireless Cammy Devlin. However, the Jambos’ biggest issue remains their finishing, with Shankland continuing to miss key chances. Critchley will need more firepower up front, especially after recent comments from substitute Kenneth Vargas, which led to boos from the Hearts supporters.
As for Celtic, Brendan Rodgers was pleased to see his squad rise to the challenge despite some of the players returning from international duty. Kyogo, Maeda, and Reo Hatate had long trips back, while Alistair Johnston and Auston Trusty came from the Americas. Even so, Celtic’s squad depth was evident, with players like Idah coming off the bench to make an impact.
With such strength in depth and quality throughout the squad, Celtic look poised to continue their dominance over the winter and beyond, making them a formidable force for the rest of the Premiership.
