GLASGOW. Celtic beats Hearts with a 2-0 win with a goal from K. Furuhashi (13′) and a goal from G. Giakoumakis (90′). Celtic was truly better in terms of ball possession (69%) and that was among the factors of its victory.​

Also, Hearts had 2 players sent off: A. Cochrane (89′ for a double yellow card) and T. Sibbick (90′ for a double yellow card).

The match was played at the Celtic Park stadium in Glasgow on Sunday and it started at 3:00 pm local time. The referee was Kevin Clancy with the collaboration of David McGeachie and Sean Carr. The 4th official was Greg Aitken. The weather was cloudy. The temperature was pleasant at 17.3 degrees Celsius or 63.19 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 64%.​

Match Statistics​

Celtic

2 - 0

Hearts

  • ! 69 Ball Possession 31
Shots
  • 15 Total 5
  • 7 On Target 0
  • 8 Off Target 5
  • 0 Shots blocked 0
  • 123 Attack 78
  • 73 Dangerous attack 45
  • 83 Ball safe 65
  • 0 Penalties 0
  • 4 Corners 6
  • 8 Off Sides 2
Fouls
  • 11 Total 12
  • 0 Yellow Cards 7
  • 0 Double Yellow 2
  • 0 Red Card 2
Other
  • 4 Substitutions 6

Ball possession

Celtic had a strong ball possession 69% while Hearts was struggling with a 31% ball possession.

Attitude and shots

Celtic was putting more pressure with 73 dangerous attacks and 15 shots of which 7 were on target. This is one of the reasons why Celtic won the match​.

Celtic shot 15 times, 7 on target, 8 off target. On the other side, Hearts shot 5 times, 0 on target, 5 off target.

Cards

Celtic didn’t receive any yellow card. On the opposite side, Hearts received 5 yellow cards (L. Boyce, G. Mackay-Steven, T. Sibbick, A. Cochrane and L. Shankland).

Also, Hearts didn’t end the match with 11 players after

Hearts had 2 players sent off: A. Cochrane (89′ for double yellow card) and T. Sibbick (90′ for double yellow card).

Match Timeline

Kyogo Furuhashi(goal)D. Maeda
13'
25'
L. Boyce- Yellow
43'
55'
Toby Sibbick- Yellow
56'
Reo Hatate - sub ->D. Turnbull
56'
60'
62'
Alex Cochrane- Yellow
64'
Barrie McKay- sub ->L. Boyce
65'
L. Shankland- sub ->A. Forrest
71'
71'
72'
72'
83'
L. Shankland- Yellow
89'
Alex Cochrane(yellowred)
90'
Toby Sibbick(yellowred)
90'

Standings

Standings
Team
Pts
Pl
Last 5
Celtic
92
33
Rangers
79
33
Aberdeen
53
33
Hearts
48
33
Hibernian
44
33
St. Mirren
44
33
Livingston
42
33
Motherwell
37
33
St. Johnstone
33
33
Dundee United
31
33
Kilmarnock
31
33
Ross County
27
33

After this match, Celtic will have 3 points like Hearts, Rangers, Hibernian and Motherwell to remain in the 1st place. Talking about the opposition, Hearts will stay with 3 points like Celtic, Rangers, Hibernian and Motherwell to hold in the 2nd place.

Next matches

In the next match in the Premiership, Celtic will play away against Rangers on the 2nd of January with a 22-19 head to head stats in favor of Celtic (9 draws).

Hearts will host Hibernian on the 2nd of January with a 21-11 head to head record in favor of Hearts (16 draws).

Celtic – Formation

Celtic
G
Joe Hart 1.England
6.8
D
Josip Juranovic 88.Croatia
7.9
D
Cameron Carter-Vickers 20.United States
7.4
D
Moritz Jenz 6.Germany
7.6
D
G. Taylor 3.Scotland
8.3
M
Matt O'Riley 33.England
7.4
72'
M
Callum McGregor 42.Scotland
6.6
M
D. Turnbull 14.Scotland
6.8
56'
F
Jota 17.Portugal
7.5
F
Kyogo Furuhashi 8.Japan
6.9
72' 13'
F
Daizen Maeda 38.Japan
7.1
56'
Substitutes
G
B. Siegrist 31.Switzerland
D
Alexandro Bernabéi 25.Argentina
D
A. Ralston 56.Scotland
D
Carl Starfelt 4.Sweden
M
Aaron Mooy 13.Australia
7.0
72'
M
James Forrest 49.Scotland
M
Reo Hatate 41.Japan
7.3
56'
F
Liel Abada 11.Israel
6.6
56'
F
G. Giakoumakis 7.Greece
8.0
72' 90'

Celtic started with a aggressive line-up (4-3-3).

The manager Angelos Postecoglou decided to play with the following team: Joe Hart (6.8), Josip Juranović (7.9), Cameron Carter-Vickers (7.4), Moritz Jenz (7.6), Greg Taylor (8.3), Matt O’Riley (7.4), Callum McGregor (6.6), David Turnbull (6.8), Daizen Maeda (7.1), Kyogo Furuhashi (6.9) and Jota (7.5).

The home team had on the bench: Benjamin Siegrist, Alexandro Bernabei, Anthony Ralston, Carl Starfelt, Aaron Mooy (7.0), James Forrest, Reo Hatate (7.3), Liel Abada (6.6) and Giorgos Giakoumakis (8.0).

Substitutions

Celtic made 4 changes: D. Maeda for L. Abada (56′), D. Turnbull for R. Hatate (56′), K. Furuhashi for A. Mooy (72′) and M. O’Riley for G. Giakoumakis (72′).

Best player: Greg Taylor​

The most impressive player for Celtic was Greg Taylor even if he didn’t score any goal.

His rating is (8.3) with 68 passes (88% accurate) and 4 key passes. He was won 8 duels out of 11. He performed 4 crosses.

Hearts – Formation

Hearts
G
R. Stewart 13.Scotland
7.3
D
Nathaniel Atkinson 12.Australia
6.4
D
Toby Sibbick 21.England
6.3
90'
D
Kye Rowles 15.Australia
6.7
D
Alex Cochrane 19.England
6.2
89'
M
Andy Halliday 16.Scotland
7.1
60'
M
Peter Haring 5.Austria
7.1
71'
M
Alan Forrest 17.Scotland
6.4
65'
M
L. Boyce 10.Northern Ireland
5.8
64' 25'
M
Gary Mackay-Steven 11.Scotland
6.1
71' 43'
F
Josh Ginnelly 30.England
6.5
Substitutes
G
Liam MacFarlane 40.Scotland
D
Michael Smith 2.Northern Ireland
6.4
60'
D
L. Neilson 20.Scotland
6.1
71'
M
Cammy Devlin 14.Australia
M
Connor Smith 27.Scotland
6.2
71'
M
Jorge Grant 7.England
M
F. Pollock 39.Scotland
F
Barrie McKay 18.Scotland
6.4
64'
F
L. Shankland 9.Scotland
6.4
65' 83'

Hearts started with a 4-2-3-1 line-up (4-2-3-1).

Robbie Neilson played with: Ross Stewart (7.3), Nathaniel Atkinson (6.4), Toby Sibbick (6.3), Kye Rowles (6.7), Alex Cochrane (6.2), Andy Halliday (7.1), Peter Haring (7.1), Alan Forrest (6.4), Liam Boyce (5.8), Gary Mackay-Steven (6.1) and Josh Ginnelly (6.5).

They had on the bench: Liam McFarlane, Michael Smith (6.4), Cameron Devlin, Connor Smith (6.2), Lewis Neilson (6.1), Jorge Grant, Barrie McKay (6.4), Finlay Pollock and Lawrence Shankland (6.4).

Hearts could not rely on the presence of M. Smith (injured).

Substitutions

Hearts made 5 changes: A. Halliday for M. Smith (60′), L. Boyce for B. McKay (64′), A. Forrest for L. Shankland (65′), G. Mackay-Steven for C. Smith (71′) and P. Haring for L. Neilson (71′).

Best player: Ross Stewart​

The most impressive player for Hearts was the goalkeeper: Ross Stewart. His rating is 7.31. He performed 5 saves.

Results of the day

These are the results of the day in the Premiership.​