Celtic rise to the occasion and break Hearts to retain the title

Celtic rise to the occasion and break Hearts to retain the title

Scottish Premiership

Saturday, May 16, 2026

Celtic Park

CELTIC…3

(Engels 45 +4, Maeda 87, Osmand 90 +8)

HEARTS…1

(Shankland 43)

After a rollercoaster of a season, the most dramatic in recent memory, Celtic are the champions of Scotland for the 56th time after a 3-1 win over Hearts at Celtic Park, with goals from Arne Engels, Daizen Maeda and Callum Osmand securing victory for the Hoops.

The Tynecastle side only had to avoid defeat today to ensure that the title went Edinburgh but, just like in 1986, they came unstuck on the final day whilst the Hoops rose to the occasion and sealed five-in-a-row with two late strikes to break Hearts.

The opening 10 minutes were played with the sort of frantic energy that was to be expected of a match with so much at stake, and the vast Celtic support inside Paradise, who created an electric atmosphere from the first whistle, were buoyed by two corners to the Hoops in the opening stages which the visitors from Edinburgh had to deal with.

There were three stoppages in play within the first 25 minutes of the game, with three different Hearts players going down and requiring treatment which meant that there was no real rhythm or flow to the play, though Celtic were trying to play forward and pass their way through.

That approach almost paid dividends when Benjamin Nygren attempted to slip a pass through to Daizen Maeda in the box, but there was too much weight on the ball and it evaded the Japanese forward.

With just over half an hour played, Celtic mounted a dangerous attack, with Callum McGregor winning the ball in the midfield and Arne Engels finding Sebastian Tounekti with a good pass, though the Tunisian’s shot proved to be an easy take for the Hearts keeper.

With less than five minutes to go before half-time, Hearts took the lead. The Tynecastle side have been dangerous from corner-kicks all seasons, and it was from a corner, delivered by Stephen Kingsley, that Lawrence Shankland made it 1-0 with a header at the back post.

Then, in the first minute of time added on at the end of the first half, the Hoops were handed a lifeline when a ball in to the box from Kieran Tierney was handled by Alexandros Kyziridis, resulting in Don Robertson pointing to the spot.

After some theatrics from Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, Arne Engels stepped up and battered the ball in to the bottom corner, levelling the game at 1-1 and setting up a massive 45 minutes in the second half.

Martin O’Neill made his first change of the afternoon at half-time, bringing Sebastian Tounekti off for Kelechi Iheanacho.

There was a nervy moment early in to the second half for Celtic when Auston Trusty gave the ball away in the middle of the park, allowing Pierre Landry Kabore a chance to run through on goal, but Vil Sinisalo was quick off of his line and was able to reach the ball first and clear the danger.

On the hour mark, there was another change for Celtic when Yang made way for Celtic’s most decorated player, James Forrest.

With 65 minutes on the clock, Kieran Tierney whipped a dangerous ball in to the Hearts penalty area towards Daizen Maeda, whose header at the back post drifted over the bar and out for a goal kick.

Martin O’Neill made two further changes with Kieran Tierney and Auston Trusty coming off for Marcelo Saracchi and Callum Osmand, the latter making his return to action after recovering from injury.

Arne Engels went close from a free-kick on the edge of the area after he had been brought down, but his effort from the set-piece went wide of the target.

Then it was Iheanacho’s turn to go close, his effort from the edge of the box beat the goalkeeper but rattled the post. Moments later, Nygren forced a big save from Schwolow with an effort from 18 yards out.

With just a few minutes of the 90 remaining, Callum Osmand, who made a huge impact on the game after coming on, went racing down the left wing with the ball before flashing a cross in to the box which was turned in to the net by Daizen Maeda.

The offside flag went up, but after a VAR review, the goal stood and with only minutes of the season remaining, Martin O’Neill’s men had the lead.

Eight minutes were added at the end of the match, a nervous and tense eight minutes for everyone of a Celtic persuasion. Any fears, however, of a late Hearts equaliser, were allayed when Callum Osmand put Celtic 3-1 ahead with the last kick of the game.

Hearts’ goalkeeper had gone forward into the Celtic penalty area for a free-kick, but when the ball was cleared forward, Osmand was left running through on an open goal, and he slotted the ball home, with referee Don Robertson whistling for the end of the game and confirming Celtic as champions again.

The sight of Martin O’Neill, whose status as a club legend has only grown over the last few months, with the league trophy in his hands after the match a sight which will live long in the memory for Celtic supporters and will go down in Celtic folklore forever.

In the Hoops’ hour of need, the man from Kilrea answered the call not once, but twice this season, and, once again, he ends the season as a champion, lifting his fourth league title as Celtic manager, with his legacy in the East End of Glasgow enshrined forevermore.