Post by JoeLatics on Sept 20, 2009 18:06:13 GMT
Celtic overtook Rangers to go top of the Scottish Premier League table with a dramatic late victory over Hearts.
Suso finished off a solo run with a fine strike from 18 yards out in the fifth minute to open the scoring for the visitors.
A diving header from ex-Oldham man Chris Killen levelled the scores in the 56th minute after his earlier shot was palmed wide by Hearts keeper Janos Balogh.
A Glenn Loovens' close-range header snatched the points in added time.
Celtic manager Tony Mowbray dropped captain Stephen McManus, while Gary Caldwell returned to partner Glenn Loovens in defence and Scott McDonald replaced the injured Georgios Samaras, with Killen coming in to partner the Australian.
Hearts defender Marius Zaliukas made his SPL appearance of the season, replacing Gary Glen, while keeper Balogh came in for Marian Kello.
With just four an a half minutes on the clock Suso broke from the halfway line to run 40 yards and shrug off the challenge of Scott Brown before firing past a hapless Artur Boruc from 18 yards out to open the scoring for the visitors.
Balogh collected a Shaun Maloney volley after a Danny Fox free-kick arrived from the right, then Suso tested Boruc again with a powerful drive from the edge of the box.
Celtic remained unfazed by the early deficit and continued to pile pressure on the Edinburgh side, with Andreas Hinkel working hard down the right and Danny Fox causing problems on the left.
A goalmouth scramble in the 17th minute ended when the ball broke free for Aiden McGeady to fire in an angled shot from 10 yards out, but it inched past Balogh's left-hand post.
The Republic of Ireland international blasted in another effort moments later, but Balogh gathered.
Shaun Maloney struck the bar as the half our mark approached with a dipping free-kick, then a flurry of corners for the hosts ended with a soft Loovens header that failed to challenge Balogh in the Hearts goal.
Boruc had to move sharply to turn around a Jose Goncalves header as half-time approached, then Caldwell was called into action to prevent an Andrew Driver shot from crossing the line after the Polish keeper had palmed the ball goal-bound.
Shortly after the break, Maloney latched on to a Fox cross and stabbed for goal, but David Obua managed to clear off the line to prevent an equaliser.
Killen found the equaliser with a diving header in the 56th minute after his earlier long-range shot was kept out by a fully-stretched Balogh, and Maloney had cut back a fine cross to the back post.
Immediately after the restart, Obua flashed an effort across the face of Boruc's goal but the Polish keeper had the angle covered.
McGeady blasted in a dangerous left-footed shot from 25 yards out that caught out Balogh and rebounded off the bar, then 10 minutes later swerved a shot at the Hearts goal that curled wide.
With 71 minutes played, McDonald struck the inside of Balogh's right-hand post and Killen hesitated on the re-bound before making a hash of his follow-up shot.
The match continued at a frenzied pace in the final 15 minutes as both sides pressed for a winner, with McDonald firing in a weak strike from 25 yards out after Killen had nodded down.
Nine minutes from time, Obua blasted in a long-range effort that skimmed past Boruc's left-hand post.
Celtic's claims for a penalty were waved away in the dying minutes when substitute Niall McGinn went down inside the box under a challenge from Lee Wallace, but referee Dougie McDonald consulted his assistant referee and signalled for a corner.
Loovens nodded in from six yards out to seal all three points for Celtic after Wallace mistakenly allowed the ball to run out for a corner.
Fox flighted in for the Dutchman to snatch the win after Balogh had flapped a feeble clearance inside the six yard area.
Celtic manager Tony Mowbray:
"I thought we were very dominant in the first half.
"As a coach, you've always got to look past the result and look at the performance.
"Regardless of whether we lost one-nil or won two-one, I think the performance of the team was very good.
"We played a lot of good football, got into some fantastic areas, but the final third let us down at stages.
"We didn't ask enough questions, but to play to get there was outstanding."
Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo:
"You must ask what Suso and Andrew Driver what they were thinking allowing Maloney to pick up the ball for the first goal.
"Then the referee somehow found four minutes of stoppage time and, for the second goal, we had the possibility to keep the ball instead of giving away the corner.
"Lee Wallace says it was not a corner, but if we play the ball up front the referee has no choice but to blow the whistle to end the game and we have a point.
"I am not angry with my players, just disappointed. At these moments, we have to be more clever."
Suso finished off a solo run with a fine strike from 18 yards out in the fifth minute to open the scoring for the visitors.
A diving header from ex-Oldham man Chris Killen levelled the scores in the 56th minute after his earlier shot was palmed wide by Hearts keeper Janos Balogh.
A Glenn Loovens' close-range header snatched the points in added time.
Celtic manager Tony Mowbray dropped captain Stephen McManus, while Gary Caldwell returned to partner Glenn Loovens in defence and Scott McDonald replaced the injured Georgios Samaras, with Killen coming in to partner the Australian.
Hearts defender Marius Zaliukas made his SPL appearance of the season, replacing Gary Glen, while keeper Balogh came in for Marian Kello.
With just four an a half minutes on the clock Suso broke from the halfway line to run 40 yards and shrug off the challenge of Scott Brown before firing past a hapless Artur Boruc from 18 yards out to open the scoring for the visitors.
Balogh collected a Shaun Maloney volley after a Danny Fox free-kick arrived from the right, then Suso tested Boruc again with a powerful drive from the edge of the box.
Celtic remained unfazed by the early deficit and continued to pile pressure on the Edinburgh side, with Andreas Hinkel working hard down the right and Danny Fox causing problems on the left.
A goalmouth scramble in the 17th minute ended when the ball broke free for Aiden McGeady to fire in an angled shot from 10 yards out, but it inched past Balogh's left-hand post.
The Republic of Ireland international blasted in another effort moments later, but Balogh gathered.
Shaun Maloney struck the bar as the half our mark approached with a dipping free-kick, then a flurry of corners for the hosts ended with a soft Loovens header that failed to challenge Balogh in the Hearts goal.
Boruc had to move sharply to turn around a Jose Goncalves header as half-time approached, then Caldwell was called into action to prevent an Andrew Driver shot from crossing the line after the Polish keeper had palmed the ball goal-bound.
Shortly after the break, Maloney latched on to a Fox cross and stabbed for goal, but David Obua managed to clear off the line to prevent an equaliser.
Killen found the equaliser with a diving header in the 56th minute after his earlier long-range shot was kept out by a fully-stretched Balogh, and Maloney had cut back a fine cross to the back post.
Immediately after the restart, Obua flashed an effort across the face of Boruc's goal but the Polish keeper had the angle covered.
McGeady blasted in a dangerous left-footed shot from 25 yards out that caught out Balogh and rebounded off the bar, then 10 minutes later swerved a shot at the Hearts goal that curled wide.
With 71 minutes played, McDonald struck the inside of Balogh's right-hand post and Killen hesitated on the re-bound before making a hash of his follow-up shot.
The match continued at a frenzied pace in the final 15 minutes as both sides pressed for a winner, with McDonald firing in a weak strike from 25 yards out after Killen had nodded down.
Nine minutes from time, Obua blasted in a long-range effort that skimmed past Boruc's left-hand post.
Celtic's claims for a penalty were waved away in the dying minutes when substitute Niall McGinn went down inside the box under a challenge from Lee Wallace, but referee Dougie McDonald consulted his assistant referee and signalled for a corner.
Loovens nodded in from six yards out to seal all three points for Celtic after Wallace mistakenly allowed the ball to run out for a corner.
Fox flighted in for the Dutchman to snatch the win after Balogh had flapped a feeble clearance inside the six yard area.
Celtic manager Tony Mowbray:
"I thought we were very dominant in the first half.
"As a coach, you've always got to look past the result and look at the performance.
"Regardless of whether we lost one-nil or won two-one, I think the performance of the team was very good.
"We played a lot of good football, got into some fantastic areas, but the final third let us down at stages.
"We didn't ask enough questions, but to play to get there was outstanding."
Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo:
"You must ask what Suso and Andrew Driver what they were thinking allowing Maloney to pick up the ball for the first goal.
"Then the referee somehow found four minutes of stoppage time and, for the second goal, we had the possibility to keep the ball instead of giving away the corner.
"Lee Wallace says it was not a corner, but if we play the ball up front the referee has no choice but to blow the whistle to end the game and we have a point.
"I am not angry with my players, just disappointed. At these moments, we have to be more clever."