Per the report, Celtic secured their 14th Scottish Premiership title in 15 years after a dramatic 3-1 win over Hearts in Glasgow, denying Derek McInnes’ side what would have been their first top-flight crown since 1960.
The report says Hearts had led the chasing pack since September and looked poised to become the first team outside Celtic or Rangers to win the Scottish top flight since Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in 1985. Celtic boss Martin O’Neill, who twice stepped in to manage the club this season, engineered a final-day comeback that preserved the Old Firm’s dominance.
According to the report, Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland put the visitors ahead with a header from a corner, but Arne Engels levelled for Celtic from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time after a handball call. The report says the hosts dominated the second half and created a series of chances, with Callum Osmand supplying a low cross that Maeda turned in; that goal was briefly ruled out for offside before a VAR check showed Osmand was onside.
The report says Celtic’s victory was sealed when Hearts pushed players forward late in search of an equaliser, allowing Osmand to run most of the length of the pitch unopposed and score the third for Celtic with the last kick of the game. Emotions spilled over after that strike, with hundreds of home supporters entering the field and Hearts players escorted down the tunnel; officials ultimately decided not to restart the match after some confusion, the report adds.
Per the report, the title gives Celtic their 56th top-flight championship, putting them one ahead of city rivals Rangers, and also booked a Champions League playoff spot for next season. The report says Hearts will enter the second qualifying round of the Champions League but will be left to rue a campaign that produced a record points tally yet ended in narrow disappointment amid contentious refereeing decisions and a late-season VAR intervention.
