3 years ago
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Aaron Mooy sent Celtic on their way with a lovely early strike at TynecastleCeltic made comfortable progress to the Scottish Cup semi-finals, knocking three goals past Hearts for the second time in four days.
Aaron Mooy crashed in an early opener and Kyogo Furuhashi added a fantastic flicked finish before the interval
Cameron Carter-Vickers added a header late in the game to underline Celtic's superiority at Tynecastle.
A wonderful save from Joe Hart denied Toby Sibbick at 1-0, with the home side seldom threatening thereafter.
Hearts were last season's runners-up but hopes of reaching a fourth final in five seasons looked bleak following a whirlwind start from Celtic, who have a domestic clean sweep in their sights.
Inside the first minute, Zander Clark needed to look lively to push away a shot from Reo Hatate. Sixty seconds later, the Hearts goalkeeper was picking the ball out of his net.
Jota slalomed down the right before finding the Australian with a cut-back, which was steered high into the net first time from 14 yards.
Hearts, who had scored early in Wednesday's league meeting at Celtic Park only to fall 3-1, rarely got out their own half in the opening 25 minutes, struggling to match the pace and purpose of the visitors.
However, it took a marvellous save from Hart to preserve Celtic's lead as the 35-year-old made an instinctive sprawling stop to claw away Sibbick's close-range shot on the swivel. Hart was then up swiftly to prevent James Hill reaching the loose ball.
Clark was busy again, keeping out another effort from Hatate and knocking away a follow-up with his feet, but he was powerless to prevent Kyogo cleverly steering in a drilled cross from Alistair Johnston just before half-time.
Once again, the livewire Japanese striker lost his markers to net his 26th goal of the season with a deft clip.
Hearts made a determined start to the second half, although Clark added to his tally of saves with a good block from Jota's angled strike.
Without top-scorer Lawrence Shankland and midfield veteran Robert Snodgrass through injury, the Edinburgh side were short on guile and Celtic did not need to work too hard to keep them at bay.
Hatate thundered in a shot as Clark punched clear from a corner, with Hill making a crucial clearance, but the third goal arrived soon after as Carter-Vickers had the simple task of nodding in a curling free-kick from substitute Matt O'Riley.
Player of the match - Aaron Mooy
The quietly spoken Australian scored his seventh goal since Christmas and linked superbly with Hatate and captain Callum McGregor to set the midfield tempoWhat next?
Runaway leaders Celtic host Hibernian on Premiership duty next Saturday (15:00), while Hearts visit Aberdeen at the same time.
Line-ups
Hearts
Formation 3-5-1-1
- 28Clark
- 72HillBooked at 90mins
- 21Sibbick
- 15Rowles
- 2SmithSubstituted forAtkinsonat 73'minutesBooked at 79mins
- 7GrantSubstituted forKuolat 81'minutes
- 8KiomourtzoglouBooked at 61minsSubstituted forDevlinat 65'minutes
- 16HallidaySubstituted forForrestat 73'minutes
- 3KingsleySubstituted forCochraneat 73'minutes
- 18McKay
- 30Ginnelly
Substitutes
- 12Atkinson
- 13Stewart
- 14Devlin
- 17Forrest
- 19Cochrane
- 20Neilson
- 61Kuol
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Hart
- 2Johnston
- 20Carter-VickersBooked at 46mins
- 4StarfeltSubstituted forKobayashiat 45'minutes
- 3Taylor
- 13MooySubstituted forO'Rileyat 77'minutes
- 42McGregor
- 41HatateSubstituted forIwataat 82'minutes
- 17Neves Filipe
- 8FuruhashiSubstituted forOhat 77'minutes
- 9HaksabanovicSubstituted forAbadaat 59'minutes
Substitutes
- 11Abada
- 14Turnbull
- 18Kobayashi
- 19Oh
- 24Iwata
- 25Bernabei
- 29Bain
- 33O'Riley
- 56Ralston
Referee:Kevin Clancy
Attendance:16,287
Live Text
Match ends, Heart of Midlothian 0, Celtic 3.
Second Half ends, Heart of Midlothian 0, Celtic 3.
Corner, Celtic. Conceded by James Hill.
Attempt blocked. Jota (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
James Hill (Heart of Midlothian) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Oh Hyeon-Gyu (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by James Hill (Heart of Midlothian).
Attempt blocked. Oh Hyeon-Gyu (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Jota (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Garang Kuol (Heart of Midlothian).
Attempt missed. Alex Cochrane (Heart of Midlothian) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Barrie McKay with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Alistair Johnston.
Attempt missed. Oh Hyeon-Gyu (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
Attempt missed. James Hill (Heart of Midlothian) header from the centre of the box is too high following a corner.
Corner, Heart of Midlothian. Conceded by Alistair Johnston.
Substitution, Celtic. Tomoki Iwata replaces Reo Hatate.
Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Garang Kuol replaces Jorge Grant.
Goal! Heart of Midlothian 0, Celtic 3. Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Matt O'Riley with a cross following a set piece situation.
Nathaniel Atkinson (Heart of Midlothian) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Nathaniel Atkinson (Heart of Midlothian).
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Heart of Midlothian
Squad number28Player nameClark
Squad number72Player nameHill
Squad number21Player nameSibbick
Squad number15Player nameRowles
Squad number2Player nameSmith
Squad number7Player nameGrant
Squad number8Player nameKiomourtzoglou
Squad number16Player nameHalliday
Squad number3Player nameKingsley
Squad number18Player nameMcKay
Squad number30Player nameGinnelly
Squad number12Player nameAtkinson
Squad number14Player nameDevlin
Squad number17Player nameForrest
Squad number19Player nameCochrane
Squad number61Player nameKuol
Celtic
Squad number1Player nameHart
Squad number2Player nameJohnston
Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers
Squad number4Player nameStarfelt
Squad number3Player nameTaylor
Squad number13Player nameMooy
Squad number42Player nameMcGregor
Squad number41Player nameHatate
Squad number17Player nameJota
Squad number8Player nameFuruhashi
Squad number9Player nameHaksabanovic
Squad number11Player nameAbada
Squad number18Player nameKobayashi
Squad number19Player nameOh Hyeon-Gyu
Squad number24Player nameIwata
Squad number33Player nameO'Riley
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