Hearts kept their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 3-0 victory over Falkirk, while Celtic matched them by beating Motherwell 3-2 with a stoppage-time penalty awarded after a VAR review. Hearts, who moved to 80 points, will clinch a first league title since 1960 if they avoid defeat at Celtic Park on the final day.
Hearts took control after a nervous opening and held a 2-0 lead at half-time before adding a third goal after the break. Manager Derek McInnes said: "Once we scored the first goal we never looked back. We took a leap of confidence, we looked more like ourselves, and I thought we were good value for the 2-0 lead at half-time." He described reaching 80 points as "unbelievable" and praised the atmosphere at the ground.
Celtic had edged 2-1 ahead at Motherwell before the hosts equalised late on. Deep into stoppage time, a handball decision against a defender, following a VAR review, gave Celtic a penalty. Substitute Iheanacho converted, but the decision proved controversial, with replays suggesting the ball may have struck the defender's head. Hearts manager McInnes was scathing, saying: "Having seen it again I think it's disgusting. It is. I don't think it's a penalty kick." He added that Celtic had been "very fortunate."
The Celtic manager was delighted with his side's resilience, saying: "Whatever we lack, and we lack certain things, heart is not part of it. They kept going to the very end. It was a brilliant effort." He also praised Iheanacho, who had come on as a substitute, saying: "He's seriously been brilliant for us. He's won matches for us. He's been fantastic." He admitted that taking the title race to the final game "looked an impossibility five or six weeks ago."
McInnes acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting that "nobody plays football to draw a game" but insisted Hearts would be positive. "Now we need to make sure we win the title now," he said. Hearts have not been champions since 1960, and the prospect of needing a point on the final day seemed fanciful last summer, but they now stand on the brink of ending over four decades of Old Firm dominance.
