Celts fly the flag and turn on style to leave Jambos flagging
FLAMES leapt out of on-pitch burners to celebrate last season’s title win pre-game, but it wasn’t until afterwards the real fireworks were let off.
Two goals from Leigh Griffiths, plus single efforts from Scott Sinclair and Callum McGregor, were enough to ensure the Hoops started this Premiership campaign the way they left off – winning with style.
That against an opponent who went into the match with, as caretaker boss Jon Daly’s post game rant showed, reason to feel aggrieved.
Out of the League Cup before the knock-out stage, the opening of their much-hyped new stand delayed and receiving flak from all sides, they could have done without starting with this fixture.
Before a ball had been kicked, they had to watch as their hosts gave themselves a pat on the back for efforts gone by.
Skipper Scott Brown, entering his testimonial year, unfurled the flag on the centre circle to rapturous applause.
Had Nir Bitton not passed up a blinding opportunity to give Celtic an instant opener, the applause would have been almost unending.
The Israeli internationalist, in at centre-half again in the absence of Erik Sviatchenko and Dedryck Boyata, found himself free at the back post with the goal gaping, but headed Leigh Griffiths’ corner just wide.
A sub against Rosenborg in midweek, Griffiths got a start yesterday and clearly relished the opportunity.
He grabbed the first goal, controlling a long ball from Nir Bitton on the run and then bundling it onto, over and then beyond Hearts keeper Jack Hamilton, who had dashed off his line.
It had been coming. By that point, Griffiths had already smashed one shot wide after being sent scampering free by a lovely slide pass from Scott Sinclair.
Another effort from the striker, pushed clear by Hamilton, would have ended up in the net too had Christophe Berra not made a brilliant clearance off the in-rushing Callum McGregor’s toe.
To be fair, Hearts weren’t too bad – at least for as long as the scores were level.
Daly gave 19-year-old Luke Moore his second senior start, and they were pretty combative in terms of shutting down Celtic’s time and space.
Afterwards, not so much. The second goal, viewed from the visitors’ perspective, was calamitous.
Aaron Hughes, the 37-year-old centre-half, attempted to clear Griffiths’ corner with his right foot, but ended up booting fresh air.
The ball struck his standing left leg and, to the Northern Irishman’s despair, rebounded straight to the green-and-white shirt of Sinclair at the back post.
Unmarked and only a couple of yards out, he tapped home for the easiest of scores.
Number three was more about Celtic, the Hoops players swapping pass after pass before Scott Brown sprung McGregor in behind down the right flank.
The winger made the most of his freedom, picking out Griffiths with a cross that fairly begged to be headed home.
McGregor then got on the scoresheet himself, firing home in confident style, before Hearts substitute Isma Goncalves wrapped things up with a consolation for the visitors when beating Craig Gordon at his near post.
Arnaud Djoum then almost made it 4-2 when rattling in a long-range effort which had the Celtic keeper scrambling to turn over.
The Cameroonian would have deserved the goal had it gone in because it was a more-than-decent strike.
In truth, though, the difference between the two teams was more than two goals.
Celtic will be happy to roll on at this level of performance. Hearts have work to do.
MATCH STATS