Celtic were far from their free-flowing best against Hearts this afternoon at Celtic Park with Steven Naismith’s attempt at parking the bus.
That proved to be fruitless in the end. Hearts got to the interval unscathed having seen both Kyogo and Arne Engels pass up great chances to find the back of the net.
Engels replaced Paulo Bernardo as the only change
Engels replaced Paulo Bernardo as the only change from the team that outplayed theRangers a fortnight ago and the 21 year old Belgium international could have had a hat-trick on his full Celtic debut. An early change was blasted over the bar then after another fine move down the right had side, Engels hit the inside of the near post with the ball somehow deflecting away from the goals.
Liam Scales was ridiculously punished for a handball that looked to give Hearts a penalty but after a long VAR check the rookie referee was sent to the screen then changed his decision as justice was done.
Some choice words at half-time
Brendan Rodgers would have had some choice words at half-time about Celtic’s wastefulness and the opening goal came after another VAR review, with the outcome again correct in awarding a penalty rather than the onfield decision of a Celtic corner. So the referee Colin Steven got both calls wrong but was then aided by VAR.
Sending Craig Gordon the wrong way
Arnie Engels stepped forward after a debate with Reo Hatate and took the ball before sending Craig Gordon the wrong way to give Celtic a well deserved lead. Brendan Rodgers looked to his bench with just over an hour on the clock replacing Nicolas Kuhn and Reo Hatate with James Forrest and Paulo Bernardo.
Then in the latter round of changes Adam Idah, Luke McCowan and Luis Palma were introduced with Kyogo, Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels going off.
And McCowan doubled Celtic’s lead, much to his obvious delight, after Gordon could only push his effort onto the post, this time though it ended up in the back of the net.
Hearts pushed foreword with more ambition after than before in the closing minutes Adam Idah appeared to make it three after fine work down the left from Luis Palma and Paul Bernardo. It was a fine goal but frustratingly for the Irishman his first of the season was ruled out by on offside against Palma in the build-up.
We can have no complaints if the decision was correct and Luis really needs to look across that line and keep himself onside.
Celtic’s 2-0 win means that Kasper Schmeichel has managed to make the history books in Scottish football breaking a hundred year record for clean sheets at the start of a league campaign.
Brendan Rodgers will be looking for an improvement for midweek with some fine-tuning needed after the international break. For Hearts another defeat coupled with Kilmarnock picking up a point, sends the Tynecastle side to the bottom of the table and with that the pressure will mount on Stephen Naismith.
Aberdeen won 2-1 at home to Motherwell, joining Celtic on five wins from five with both opening up an eight points lead on theRangers ahead of their game at Tannadice tomorrow. A Dundee United victory would see the Tangerines creating their own four points lead of Philippe Clements side.
Then it’s all going to be about which one gets sacked first, Naismith or Clement?