Celtic 1-2 Heart Of Midlothian: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Celtic 1-2 Heart Of Midlothian in the Premiership on Sunday, 07 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Hearts beat Celtic 2-1 in a competitive clash at Celtic Park. The game stayed tight early on, with Celtic holding most of the ball but failing to break through, until Cláudio Braga put Hearts ahead in the 43rd minute with a well-taken goal. Celtic, coming off four straight league wins before this, pushed hard in the second half but Hearts doubled their lead through Oisin McEntee in the 64th minute, capitalising on a counter.

Celtic kept pressing and grabbed a late consolation when Kieran Tierney scored in the 90+3rd minute, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. Hearts, who had drawn three of their last four before this win, defended stoutly to secure the points and extend their unbeaten run. The result shakes up the table, with Celtic’s recent strong form taking a hit against a resilient Hearts side.

Celtic dominated possession with 72% of the ball, which allowed them to rack up 38 successful dribbles compared to Hearts’ eight, showing their intent to break down the defence through individual skill. However, Hearts made the most of their 28% share, earning three corners to Celtic’s five and staying disciplined despite picking up three yellow cards to Celtic’s one, with no reds on either side. The assists were even at one apiece, but Celtic’s late injury-time goal highlighted their persistence without changing the outcome.

On substitutions, Celtic used just two, with Luke McCowan replacing Sebastian Tounekti in the 59th minute and Johnny Kenny coming on for Benjamin Nygren in the 65th, while Hearts made five changes: Stephen Kingsley for Harry Milne and Jamie McCart for Alexandros Kyziridis both in the 71st, Frankie Kent for Craig Halkett in the 77th, Pierre Landry Kabore for Cláudio Braga in the 78th, and Christian Borchgrevink for Lawrence Shankland in the 85th. This showed Hearts managing their squad more actively, perhaps to protect their lead, with no penalties taken by either team.

The match turned on Hearts’ goals, starting with Cláudio Braga’s strike in the 43rd minute to give them a halftime lead, followed by Oisin McEntee’s effort in the 64th, assisted by Harry Milne, which doubled their advantage and shifted momentum. Celtic’s response came late via Kieran Tierney’s goal in the 90+3rd minute, assisted by Daizen Maeda, but it proved only a consolation. Disciplinary moments included yellow cards for Celtic’s Hyun-jun Yang in the 35th and Hearts’ Harry Milne in the 36th, with further bookings for Hearts’ Cammy Devlin in the 60th and Michael Steinwender in the 62nd.

Substitutions played a role too, as Celtic brought on Luke McCowan for Sebastian Tounekti in the 59th and Johnny Kenny for Benjamin Nygren in the 65th to chase the game, while Hearts made defensive adjustments like Stephen Kingsley replacing Harry Milne and Jamie McCart coming on for Alexandros Kyziridis in the 71st, followed by later changes to see out the win.

Celtic lined up in a 3-4-2-1 shape, with Kieran Tierney proving influential in defence and attack, netting their only goal late on. Partnerships like Daizen Maeda assisting Tierney showed some attacking cohesion, while substitutions saw Luke McCowan come on for Sebastian Tounekti and Johnny Kenny replace Benjamin Nygren to add fresh legs. Hyun-jun Yang’s involvement included picking up a yellow card, highlighting the backline’s role in a game where they pushed forward often.

Hearts set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, allowing Cláudio Braga and Oisin McEntee to shine up front with their goals, supported by Harry Milne’s assist before he was replaced by Stephen Kingsley. The midfield held firm despite yellow cards for Cammy Devlin and Michael Steinwender, and substitutions like Jamie McCart for Alexandros Kyziridis, Frankie Kent for Craig Halkett, Pierre Landry Kabore for Cláudio Braga, and Christian Borchgrevink for Lawrence Shankland helped maintain structure. This setup let them absorb pressure and hit on the break effectively.

Kieran Tierney earned Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match for his standout performance, scoring one goal, creating two big chances, and delivering three key passes that kept Celtic in the fight. Despite the defeat, his late strike in injury time showed his quality and determination from the back, making him the pick even as a starter who pushed forward throughout.

Recent Premiership matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Heart Of Midlothian (H)
• Win: 1-0 vs Dundee (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Hibernian (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs ST Mirren (A)
• Win: 4-0 vs Kilmarnock (H)

Recent Premiership matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Celtic (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Kilmarnock (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Motherwell (A)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Aberdeen (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Dundee Utd (H)

Celtic will look to bounce back from this home defeat, which highlights the need for better finishing despite their possession dominance, as they aim to maintain pressure at the top of the table. Their next fixture sees them travel for a tough away clash, where converting control into goals will be key to regaining momentum.

Heart of Midlothian can build on this impressive away win, showcasing their counter-attacking prowess and squad depth through effective substitutions. They’ll host their next match, hoping to carry forward this clinical edge and defensive solidity to climb the standings.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.