Photo via BBC Sport

Hearts roll out red carpet... and Celtic walk all over it

Martin O'Neill’s Celtic dominated Hearts in a statistical farce that defied logic, turning a seemingly strong Hearts side into a shell of its usual self. Despite Hearts outshining their visitors in nearly every passing metric—20 shots to Celtic’s 18, 16 inside-the-box attempts to 13, and 52% possession—they crumbled under relentless pressure.

Celtic’s midfield quartet of Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand, Camilo Duran, and Haissem Hassan orchestrated a clinical display, with Osmand and Duran combining for multiple goals. The first two strikes came from Liam Scales’ header and Kieran Tierney’s finish, while Dane Murray’s defensive error led to Nygren’s second.

Hearts’ collapse deepened after Colby Donovan’s defensive interventions stifled Josh McPake’s momentum, and Sabri Guendouz’s turnover handed Duran another chance to score. By halftime, Hearts fans had already begun leaving, their team reduced to a shadow of its potential as Celtic’s pace and composure exposed their defensive frailties in a 7-1 rout.

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