New Bhoys. Arne Engles and Luke McCowan fit into the team like jigsaw parts and made the two most critical kicks of the game.
The Celts maintained their lead at the top of the table with a 2-0 victory over Hearts, containing an Edinburgh team who attempted to attack on the break throughout the game.
VAR checks on two penalty calls saw the referee reverse both of his rulings, first after handing the visitors a spot-kick, then after declining a Celtic penalty call, overturning that decision too.
Belgian Bhoy Arne Engels brought the house down with his penalty kick, giving him his first goal in the Hoops and the lead against Hearts early in the second half after being unlucky on a couple of occasions in the first 45.
Then, near the end of the 90, McCowan raised the roof with a shot that sealed the victory for the Celtics.
Despite the penalty scare, which gave the visitors a slight advantage, the majority of the play was concentrated around the Hearts box, with a number of changes for the Celts coming near.
Engels, Kyogo, Nicolas Kuhn, and Daizen Maeda were all unfortunate with blocks, while the woodwork and Craig Gordon between the stops all contributed to Celtic’s first goalless first half of the season.
Engels fired just wide from six yards after Alistair Johnston threw the ball over in the third minute, and Maeda demonstrated excellent technique by flicking the ball over Gordon’s head, but the move was ruled for offside.
Kuhn then threaded two superb balls through the entire Hearts defenders in quick succession, the first to Kyogo, who shot narrowly past form just inside the box, and the second to Maeda, whose attempt was stopped for a corner.
Gordon saved a long-range Reo Hatate attempt and diverted the ball one-handed before Engles displayed some exquisite talent six yards from goal to control the ball with his right foot and fire with his left, only to see the ball crack off the post as the Celts turned up the heat.
Greg Taylor also had an attempt blocked after Scales found Maeda, but from their first corner, Hearts felt they had won a penalty when the ball came off Scales’ arm, but due to his near closeness to the attacker, the referee’s first award was reversed.
Another penalty shout at the same goal, but this time after the turnaround, when a Taylor cross came off a maroon arm, the ref disregarded the call, much to everyone’s surprise.
VAR did not, however, and after being summoned to inspect the screen, the expected consequence came to be, and the ref correctly pointed to the location.
The ball was sent to Engels, who calmly sent Craig Gordon the wrong way, giving Celtic the lead.
The Belgian was terribly unfortunate later when a beautiful flick right in front of goal was diverted for a corner.
Kasper Schmeichel saved a drive from Musa Drammeh in the 82nd minute, after Lawrence Shankland challenged him from a distance in the first half.
Despite putting some late pressure in the game, Hearts came as near as they could, but the men in green and white put on the most telling pressure.
And such was the case at the end, with a goal off the bench and three substitutions.
Luis Palma surged forward and found James Forrest, who sent the ball back to the ‘D’ and McCowan blasted the perfect shot low to Craig Gordon’s right; the game was marked’safe’.
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