Celtic Rout Hearts 7-0 to Stretch Lead to Four Points

Two set pieces set the tempo

Kieran Tierney nodded home in the seventh minute, finishing a Mika Baur corner that Liam Scales had flicked on. Three minutes later, another Baur delivery survived in the box and Nygren tucked it in. Hearts trailed by two before they had settled into any kind of defensive shape.

The early start mattered for more than the scoreboard. With Hearts pulled out of their compact low block, Celtic had room to probe without hurrying. Gaps opened between the midfield and the back line, so attackers could make runs from several angles instead of relying on a single striker to create everything.

Osmand’s brace swept Hearts aside

Callum Osmand struck in the 36th and 38th minutes. Claudio Mendy pulled one back for Hearts, but an own goal from Craig McCart deep into added time put Celtic 5-1 up at the break. Four goals in about ten minutes left Hearts with almost no route back into the game.

Camilo Duran made it six, four minutes after the restart. Celtic then managed the lead calmly, rotating several players without giving up possession or losing their edge going forward. Nygren’s second, in the 83rd minute, capped a win that came from contributions across the whole side.

Spreading the goals makes Celtic harder to contain

Tierney, Nygren, Osmand and Duran all found the net, and an own goal added another. Hearts therefore could not focus their preparation on a single danger. Set plays, wide link-up play and central movement each led to a goal.

Celtic now prepare for the Europa League tie against Celta Vigo. A 7-1 home win in the league does not promise the same openings in Europe, yet it builds belief and let several starters come off early. The key takeaway is how quickly the first two attacks arrived, more than the size of the final score.