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Braga nets after offside confusion in Celtic defence
McEntee thunders header in from corner for second before Tierney pulls one back late on
Wilfried Nancy loses first game in charge of Celtic as Hearts go three points clear having played a game more
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
That's enough from us.
Hearts are three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, although Celtic do have a game in hand.
You can catch highlights and analysis from the game on Sportscene at 19:15 GMT on BBC Scotland.
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Our radio coverage has come to and end without an interview from Wilfried Nancy. Forget that... I must have passed out briefly and missed it.
"After we conceded the second goal, we started to rush," he says. "We could have been a bit better to attack and combine in a different way.
"It's not easy coming from behind against a low block.
"The spirit was spot on and there are many good things I can show them.
"It's not about the system. For me, it's to play with personality. The players want to do well and that's the most important thing."
Image source, SNSFT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Hearts manager Derek McInnes tells BBC Sportsound: "I don't really care what people say. Our fight is with ourselves.
"We've been disappointed in the last few weeks that we've just been okay and okay doesn't get the games won in the Premiership, regardless of who your opponent is. My belief hasn't been affected in the last few weeks.
"We wanted a positive result. On the day, we had to do a lot right. I was a bit disappointed with our start. I didn't think we quite got our distances, didn't look after the ball well enough.
"We had something to hang on to after Claudio's goal just before half-time I thought we deserved at the moment. Oisin gets the second goal. We defended well, we adapted to Celtic throwing two strikers on and trying to put four on our last line.
"We turned to a back five. We defended the box brilliantly apart from two moments, when Hatate hits off the bar and the goal from Kieran Tierney.
"There was loads that I liked about my team. You've got to think as if you've won the game before you've won and carry yourself that way and I thought we did that.
"We're well into December now. The players shouldn't doubt themselves, shouldn't doubt what we are.
"Once we come out the second round of fixtures, you've got a rough idea of where you are. To beat Celtic home and away takes a lot of doing. Hopefully, we can keep winning games."
Image source, SNSFT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
These guys will be making their way home now.
You might hear them if you are within a two-mile radius.
Image source, SNSFT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Pat Bonner
Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound
The big talking point will be the change of formation [for Celtic]. The first 20 minutes was maybe what he wanted, the speed, the counter-press, but you need to maintain that.
When it comes to breaking down opponents in a compact area, they have been lacking for quite a while now.
They definitely need a striker and a winger on the right.
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Ryan Stevenson
Former Hearts forward on BBC Sportsound
I think with Beni Beningime being injured, the Jamestown machine will be rattling at speed to find a couple of midfielders.
Frank: Hearts' defence spent the whole afternoon in their slippers, reading the Sunday papers.
Completely comfortable and in control. Until the fluky late goal from Tierney, they didn’t face a single second of jeopardy.
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
That's back-to-back wins over Celtic for Hearts.
They've won four of the last eight in this fixture.
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Hearts goalscorer Claudio Braga tells Sky Sports: "It's a tough stadium to play, but we showed how we can be a family.
"We tried to defend as well as we could, we've lacked luck in little moments recently but we got that today."
On being top of the table: "It's a difficult position to be in, in a good way, but it's one to enjoy."
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Kris Boyd
Former Rangers striker on Sky Sports
Wilfred Nancy is going to have to get results quick rather than playing Connect Four on the side of the pitch.
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
The heat is on Wilfried Nancy just four days in the job.
It's waaaaaay too early for any judgements.
Let's not forget Brendan Rodgers famously lost his first game to Lincoln Red Imps in Gibraltar, while Ange Postecoglou knows how it feels to lose a first league match against Hearts.
Image source, SNSBryan: It was obvious that Martin O'Neill should have stayed for these three big games.
This isn't complicated and it was obvious to everyone. Now Nancy's name is mud. What on earth were the board thinking of?
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Hearts midfielder Cammy Devlin tells Sky Sports: "It was a really important win. We knew coming here how hard it would be. We defended so well and I thought we deserved the win.
"It was important today to show character and I think we did that.
"It's about us just working as hard as we can during training.
"We've come here tonight and shown what we are, what we were earlier in the season."
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
That's a third league defeat for Celtic this season.
They only lost four as champions last term.
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSFT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Kris Boyd
Former Rangers striker on Sky Sports
I thought Hearts were excellent in the second half.
So controlled.
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland at Celtic Park
All credit to Hearts. The importance of this outcome cannot be overstated. Just when some were beginning to question the Tynecastle side after a run of frustrating results, they produced a big one and big performance too.
This turned into the stuff of nightmares for Wilfried Nancy. Early on, he looked to have Celtic firing all over the pitch. By the end it was desperate.
A landmark victory for Hearts. They have shown once again they're a force.
FT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
James McFadden
Former Scotland forward on Sky Sports
It's a massive, massive victory.
Now for Hearts it's about what happens after this win.
It will give them that confidence boost because lots of people have said their bubble has burst in recent weeks, but that is a statement.
We have a title race.
Image source, SNSFT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Ryan McGowan
Former Hearts defender on Sky Sports
That is such a big, big result for Hearts.
A real Derek McInnes performance.
Image source, SNSFT: Celtic 1-2 Hearts
Derek McInnes looks calm as deep frozen cucumber as he reminds his celebrating players to go and acknowledge their joyful fans.
Hearts move three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
A huge statement from the Tynecastle side. They are not going to be budged without an almighty fight.
Claudio Braga stunned Celtic Park in the 43rd minute
At a glance
Nancy loses first game as Celtic manager as Hearts move clear at top
Braga strikes Hearts opener after staying onside and robbing McGregor
McEntee heads second after controversial corner before late Tierney reply
Hearts ruined Wilfried Nancy's debut as Celtic manager with victory in Glasgow to move three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Claudio Braga, who the hosts thought was offside, robbed Callum McGregor and tucked away the visitors' surprise opener. Braga was played onside by Arne Engels.
And Oisin McEntee emphatically headed Derek McInnes' side into a 2-0 lead from Harry Milne's corner.
However, there was a suspicion of offside against Lawrence Shankland when winning the set piece.
Engels was denied by a stunning Alexander Schwolow save and, in the aftermath, Reo Hatate volleyed against the crossbar.
Celtic eventually registered through Kieran Tierney's added-time strike.
Celtic have a game in hand over Hearts, as do Rangers. Motherwell and the Ibrox side trail Celtic by six points following Saturday wins.
A raft of changes pitched more and more Celtic players in attacking roles late in the game and Nancy was regularly seen issuing instructions to captain McGregor.
McInnes' men were ever more galvanised as the match wore on, however, getting first to the ball to break up attacks and always poised ready to mount counter attacks. They make it successive wins over Celtic in the league this term.
Nancy set up with a 3-4-3 like his Columbus Crew days, breaking with the back four tradition of Celtic predecessors Martin O'Neill, Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou.
In practice, that meant left-sided defenders Auston Trusty, Liam Scales and Tierney acting as the last line of defence with Yang Hyun-Jun and Tounekti set up as wing-backs and midfielders Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate supporting striker Maeda.
Much like Postecglou's tenure, Celtic were aggressive early on, making it difficult for their opponents to get out.
Quality in the final ball was lacking in the opening half, however, and attempts at goal in the second period did little to trouble Schwolow, until Tierney smashed home a loose ball.
It should be noted, though, that injured players like Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston and Jota will likely fit more naturally into this new formation.
Wilfried Nancy and his tactics board with Callum McGregor
BBC Sportsound pundit Ryan Stevenson said his former club Hearts needed to try and get in behind Celtic's new defensive shape and, when they did, Milne's dangerous cross was cleared as Shankland lurked.
However, when their first big chance presented itself, they pounced. Braga was on his own after Kyziridis headed forward, Braga knocked on, Milne mis-hit and Braga dispossessed McGregor to find the net.
While Hearts celebrated, all in sundry expected a flag to be raised or VAR to disallow the goal but replays showed Arne Engels was behind Braga at the first phase.
And, while awarded after a tight offside call, the corner from which McEntee scored was poorly defended by the hosts, the Hearts man showing all the necessary desire.
As Stevenson observed: "They've actually been outfought by Hearts. Hearts wanted it more."
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy: "This is not about the system. We started one way in the first half and the second half, we kept going and towards the end, it was not the same system.
"This is more about to check if we play with personality, to check what we can do better to unbalance the low block, what can we do better to avoid the two goals that we conceded? We had really good moments and we had moments we have to improve on.
"We conceded the goal but to be honest, I felt that it didn't change the attitude of the players. We pushed a little bit more but we conceded the second goal and after that we started to rush. We put a lot of crosses inside the box knowing that they are so big. We could've been a little bit better to combine and attack a different way.
"I was pleased with the mentality. The performance was really interesting. Defensively, we were really good but we missed the few opportunities."
Hearts manager Derek McInnes: "We wanted a positive result. On the day, we had to do a lot right. There was loads that I liked about my team. You've got to think as if you've won the game before you've won and carry yourself that way and I thought we did that.
"We had something to hang on to after Claudio's goal just before half-time I thought we deserved at the moment. Oisin gets the second goal. We defended well, we adapted to Celtic throwing two strikers on and trying to put four on our last line.
"We turned to a five. We defended the box brilliantly apart from two moments, when Engels hits off the bar and the goal from Kieran Tierney.
"We're well into December now. The players shouldn't doubt themselves, shouldn't doubt what we are. Once we come out the second round of fixtures, you've got a rough idea of where you are. To beat Celtic home and away takes a lot of doing. Hopefully, we can keep winning games."
Celtic continue their Europa League campaign at home to Roma on Thursday (20:00 GMT) then defend the Premier Sports Cup in next Sunday's final with St Mirren (15:30).
Hearts visit Scottish Premiership opponents Falkirk on Saturday (20:00).
'Hearts' fight is with themselves but what do they do now?'
Nancy suffers nightmare debut as his Celtic challenge laid bare
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 32 | 13 | 19 | 35 |
| |
| 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 11 | 14 | 32 |
| |
| 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 26 |
| |
| 15 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 26 |
| |
| 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 27 | 18 | 9 | 24 |
| |
| 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 21 |
| |
| 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 24 | -5 | 21 |
| |
| 15 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 21 | 25 | -4 | 16 |
| |
| 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 22 | -8 | 14 |
| |
| 16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 16 | 30 | -14 | 12 |
| |
| 16 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 29 | -16 | 12 |
| |
| 15 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 29 | -14 | 8 |
|
Manager:Wilfried Nancy
Formation:3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager:Derek McInnes
Formation:4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Scottish Premiership
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Celtic have won 25 of their last 27 home league games against Heart of Midlothian, the exceptions being a 0-0 draw in September 2015 and a 0-2 defeat in December 2023.
Heart of Midlothian have won three of their last seven league games against Celtic (L4), including their most recent in October (3-1). Hearts had only won three of their previous 37 league matches versus the Hoops before this (D2 L32).
Celtic have only lost one of their last nine home league games against opponents starting the day top of the table (W6 D2), going down 2-0 against Rangers in October 2020. These nine games include a 5-0 win over Hearts in November 2018.
After scoring at least twice in each of their first five away league games of this season, Hearts have since drawn a blank in their last two on the road. They last went three successive away games without scoring in the Scottish Premiership in December 2019 (run of 6).
Daizen Maeda has been directly involved in 26 goals in the Scottish Premiership in 2025 (17 goals, 9 assists), the most by a Celtic player in a single calendar year since Ryan Christie in 2019 (14 goals, 12 assists). The last to score or assist more in a year for the club was Leigh Griffiths in 2016 (25 goals, 5 assists).
