Celtic stroll to 4th successive title
Hearts comeback stuns Rangers
GLASGOW, May 2, (AFP): Celtic have been crowned champions of Scotland for the 46th time after Aberdeen’s loss to Dundee United gave them an unassailable lead at the top of the table.
Celtic opened up an 11 point lead with three games remaining when they thrashed Dundee 5-0 on Friday night meaning the Dons had to defeat Dundee United to set up a title showdown at Pittodrie next Sunday.
However, Aberdeen failed to recover after going behind to Robbie Muirhead’s 13th minute goal as Dundee United secured a 1-0 victory to hand the title to Celtic.
It’s a fourth successive league championship for the Glasgow giants to go with the League Cup they won earlier in the season.
It caps a successful first season in charge for Ronny Deila, who took over from former boss Neil Lennon last summer.
The Norwegian endured a stuttering start to life in the Celtic Park dugout as Celtic picked up just six wins from their opening 14 competitive matches.
The Scottish Champions stumbled out of the Champions League in qualifying and suffered defeats to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Hamilton, Dundee United and St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.
However, a run of 15 wins from 17 league games in 2015 has seen Celtic wrap up the title with three games to spare, although Deila’s side don’t have a chance to claim a treble after Inverness Caledonian Thistle defeated them in their Scottish Cup semi-final clash.
The Celtic boss heard the news of his side’s league triumph while back on a short visit to his native Norway following his side’s Friday night victory over Dundee and he says he is already planning for next season.
“We have achieved a big thing - winning the league for the fourth time - and hopefully there will be more and more,” Deila told the official Celtic website.
“Defensively we have been unbelievable the whole season and we have hardly conceded a goal. Offensively we have been getting better and we scored five beautiful goals against Dundee on Friday night.
“We have worked so hard for this and finally we are there and can start thinking of next season. There is always high pressure here and I put high demands on myself as well.
“Today we just have to enjoy it and be happy that we are champions. I’m happy with a lot of the work we have done and we are going to enjoy this night and show we are champions next Sunday.”
Substitute Genero Zeefuik scored a late double as champions Hearts came from behind to secure a 2-2 final day draw with Rangers, who now face six play-off matches if they are to return to the Scottish top flight, at Tynecastle.
Darren McGregor bulleted home a header in the 32nd minute and veteran striker Kenny Miller tapped home a second eight minutes later to give Rangers hope of piping Hibernian to second place in the Scottish Championship.
However, Zeefuik pulled one back in the 82nd minute with a cushioned header before drilling in a 90th minute equaliser to seal an extraordinary comeback for Hearts, who won the league at a canter, on the day they were presented with the Championship trophy.