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Has last-gasp Celtic penalty undermined Hearts' hopes?
TL;DR
Hearts were on the verge of winning the Scottish Premiership but now face a tough challenge after Celtic's last-minute penalty secured a win against Motherwell. They must avoid defeat against Celtic to clinch their first title since 1960.
Key points
- Hearts were close to winning the Scottish Premiership.
- Celtic won with a controversial last-minute penalty.
- Hearts must avoid defeat against Celtic to win the title.
- Hearts haven't won the title since 1960.
- The upcoming match will be played in front of 60,000 fans.
Scottish PremiershipHeartsCeltic
At one stage on Wednesday, Hearts were set to be Scottish Premiership champions.
At another point, they just needed to avoid a three-goal defeat at Celtic Park on Saturday to clinch a first title since 1960.
But by the end of a hugely contentious and emotionally wrought night, one which ended with recriminations and angry words, the equation was much less favourable.
Hearts players were on the Tynecastle pitch waving to fans after a comfortable 3-0 win over Falkirk as Celtic converted a controversial 99th-minute penalty to beat Motherwell 3-2 at Fir Park, leaving one point separating the top two.
Now Derek McInnes' side now must avoid defeat in front of 60,000 amped-up Celtic fans on Saturday - and do so without key players - if they are to become the first non-Old Firm club to win the Scottish title in four decades.
Hearts are unbeaten against Celtic in three meetings this term, but the revived defending champions have now won six consecutive league matches under Martin O'Neill as they seek a 14th title in 15 years.
It's all set up to be an epic encounter, but has the Tynecastle outfit's best chance gone? Or can they still make history?
Hearts have upper hand in head-to-heads
McInnes and his players can certainly take confidence from their matches against Celtic this season.
In October, they swept aside Brendan Rodgers' side 3-1 at Tynecastle to solidify their title credentials. And two months later, they travelled to Glasgow and spoiled Wilfried Nancy's first match as Celtic boss, winning 2-1 in a gutsy display.
Most recently, Celtic were denied all three points in Gorgie by Claudio Braga's late equaliser.
"We've been there and won a couple of times during my time as a Hearts player," captain Lawrence Shankland said after the midweek win over Falkirk.
"We go there confident and we've been top of the league all season. It's a 90-minute cup final. If you offered us that at the start of the season we would have taken it."
A fourth match without defeat against their nearest rivals would seal one of the most unlikely triumphs ever in Scottish football, and former Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart is confident they can get the job done.
"There's no reason why Hearts can't win the title," he said on Sportscene.
"As much as there's disappointment, scepticism and a lot of ill-will coming off the back of [Wednesday], Hearts need to focus on the positives.
Q&A
What happened during the Hearts vs. Celtic match?
Celtic won against Motherwell with a controversial last-minute penalty, impacting Hearts' title hopes.
How can Hearts still win the Scottish Premiership?
Hearts must avoid defeat against Celtic in their upcoming match to secure the title.
When was the last time Hearts won the Scottish Premiership?
Hearts last won the Scottish Premiership in 1960.
What are the implications of Celtic's last-minute penalty?
Celtic's penalty has intensified the competition, leaving Hearts with a challenging path to the championship.
