Heart of Midlothian 4-0 Celtic - BBC Sport
Hearts end Celtic's 69-game, 585-day unbeaten domestic run with a stunning Scottish Premiership victory at Tynecastle.
Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiership

Celtic's 69-game unbeaten domestic run was ended in emphatic style as they were stunned 4-0 by Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

The defeat at Tynecastle is the champions' first domestic loss since a 2-1 reverse at St Johnstone on 11 May 2016 - 585 days ago - and Brendan Rodgers' first as Celtic manager against Scottish opposition.

The streak began under Rodgers' predecessor Ronny Deila when Motherwell were thrashed 7-0 on the final day of the 2015-16 season.

In beating St Johnstone 4-0 in early November, Celtic surpassed their own 100-year-old British record of 62 domestic games without defeat.

Celtic, who Rodgers led to the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and Scottish League treble last season, remain top of the league table by two points, with a game in hand over second-placed Aberdeen.

Hearts had not scored three or more goals in a league match since a 4-0 thumping of Hamilton Academical in March.

Craig Levein's men have conceded just 19 league goals this season, four more than Celtic, who have the best defensive record in Scotland's top flight.
• None Celtic record may never be beaten - Rodgers
• None As it happened: Hearts hammer Celtic to end 69-game run

Celtic's unbeaten domestic run (all but one under Brendan Rodgers)

Sixteen-year-old Harry Cochrane and former Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty slammed home first-half goals as Hearts dominated the early skirmishes.

Manuel Milinkovic seized on a dreadful error from Jozo Simunovic to prod in a third early in the second half.

Celtic piled forward, but it was Hearts who struck again, Milinkovic netting from the penalty spot.

Rodgers' side may well go onto claim the Premiership title but they were given a football lesson by a dogged and devastating Hearts, who were in no way flattered by the scoreline.

The hosts were dynamic and effective from the first whistle, pressing the Celtic defence at every opportunity and denying them the time and space to pass out from the back.

Centre-back Dedryck Boyata and goalkeeper Craig Gordon were particularly unsettled, with the latter charged down by Don Cowie in his own goalmouth.

And - after Lafferty, Christophe Berra and Ross Callachan had fired off target - Kieran Tierney's slip allowed Cowie to pilfer possession on the right wing, and slide the ball inside to Cochrane.

The teenager, making just his fifth start, took one touch on the 18-yard line before rifling a low left-foot effort beyond Gordon.

The Celtic goalkeeper produced a fine reaction save to divert Milinkovic's volley over the crossbar two minutes later, but it was a temporary reprieve.

Again, the champions surrendered possession, Milinkovic robbing Callum McGregor and sending Lafferty galloping into open space up the right flank.

From the angle of the area, the Northern Ireland striker drove his shot across Gordon and into the back of the net via the inside of the post.

The half-time whistle blew with Celtic, uncharacteristically sloppy on the ball and outfought all over the pitch, trailing 2-0, and the refurbished Tynecastle a raucous cauldron of delirium.

The visitors' slackness continued after the break, as Simunovic allowed a speculative Connor Randall clearance to bounce over his head and into the path of the gleeful Milinkovic, who rounded Gordon and slotted from close range.

Under Rodgers, Celtic had never faced a three-goal deficit on domestic duty. They cascaded forward, with the manager introducing highly-rated French striker Moussa Dembele to assist Leigh Griffiths in attack.

It was Griffiths' vicious curling effort that gave Jon McLaughlin his first serious test of the afternoon, the Hearts goalkeeper tipping the ball smartly over the bar.

On came another Celtic striker, Odsonne Edouard this time, but spearheaded by their magnificent captain Berra, the hosts' defence repelled everything Rodgers and his team could throw at them.

And it was Hearts who completed their remarkable triumph - the Gorgie side's biggest over Celtic since 1895 - when Gordon unnecessarily felled the speeding Ross Callachan in the box, Milinkovic striking low and decisively from 12 yards.

At full-time, Rodgers gathered his players in a huddle. Their run could not last forever, but few would have predicted its demise in such chastening fashion. Now, this group of players faces the challenge of responding to defeat by a Scottish opponent for the first time in 19 months.
• None Attempt blocked. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
• None Attempt saved. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
• None Attempt missed. Anthony McDonald (Heart of Midlothian) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
• None Manuel Milinkovic (Heart of Midlothian) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
• None Attempt missed. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
• None Attempt missed. Odsonne Edouard (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
• None Attempt missed. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
• None Attempt saved. Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
• None Goal! Heart of Midlothian 4, Celtic 0. Manuel Milinkovic (Heart of Midlothian) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
• None Penalty conceded by Craig Gordon (Celtic) after a foul in the penalty area.
• None Penalty Heart of Midlothian. Ross Callachan draws a foul in the penalty area.
• None Substitution, Heart of Midlothian. Cole Stockton replaces Kyle Lafferty because of an injury. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page