GLASGOW : Celtic F.C. scored two late goals to beat Heart of Midlothian F.C. 3-1 on Saturday and clinch the Scottish Premiership title in dramatic fashion on the final day of the season.
With Hearts on course for a first league crown in 60 years, late strikes from Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand turned the match around at Parkhead and secured a record 56th league title for Celtic.
Osmand sealed the victory deep into stoppage time by running the length of the pitch to score into an empty net after Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow had joined a last-gasp corner attack. Jubilant Celtic supporters flooded onto the pitch moments after the final whistle.
The title completed another dominant campaign for Celtic, who have now won 14 of the last 15 Scottish league titles, though this season proved one of their toughest after trailing Hearts in the standings for much of the campaign.
“This season has been mental,” Celtic defender Kieran Tierney told Sky Sports.
“It’s unbelievable. We never give up and this team is the most mentally strong team I’ve ever been involved with. This is the best thing I’ve ever won.”
Hearts, who had led the table for 226 days since October, looked set to secure a historic triumph when captain Lawrence Shankland headed them in front from a corner in the 43rd minute.
Celtic equalised before halftime after VAR ruled that Alexandros Kyziridis had handled a cross from Tierney, allowing Arne Engels to convert the resulting penalty.
The hosts pressed relentlessly in the closing stages and Maeda finally broke Hearts’ resistance when his goal survived a lengthy VAR review for offside.
The defeat was another crushing final-day blow for Hearts, who also missed out on the title on the last day 40 years ago. They came within minutes of becoming the first club outside Celtic or Rangers F.C. to win the Scottish title since Aberdeen F.C. in 1985.
