Tierney's Triumphant Return Fuels Celtic Victory
In a significant afternoon for the Scottish Premiership title race, Celtic closed the gap on leaders Hearts to just seven points with a commanding 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock at home. The match was particularly memorable for defender Kieran Tierney, who scored his first goal for the club in seven years, sending a powerful message to their rivals at the top of the table.
Match Analysis: Celtic Find Their Scoring Touch
The home side took control early on, with Johnny Kenny opening the scoring in the 10th minute. This marked his fourth goal in four matches under the interim management duo of Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney, demonstrating his impressive form. Despite creating numerous opportunities, Celtic struggled to extend their lead before halftime, with Daizen Maeda missing several chances and Kilmarnock's Bruce Anderson rattling the crossbar.
The momentum shifted decisively six minutes into the second half when Kieran Tierney drilled a spectacular 25-yard strike into the net, doubling Celtic's advantage. This was the 28-year-old left-back's first goal for the club since a Europa League win against RB Leipzig on 8 November 2018, though he had scored in his final appearance for Arsenal back in May. While Celtic found it difficult to build on this two-goal cushion for much of the second half, late goals from Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels from the penalty spot gave the scoreline a convincing sheen.
Hearts Stumble as Rangers Continue Winning Streak
The day's drama wasn't confined to Celtic Park, as league leaders Hearts were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Dundee United. The Edinburgh club had started the day nine points clear at the summit and took the lead in the 25th minute through a fortunate goal. Alexandros Kyziridis saw his shot rebound from the post and ricochet over the line off Dundee United goalkeeper Yevheni Kucherenko.
However, Luca Stephenson headed the visitors level just before half-time, and despite their efforts, Hearts were unable to find a winning goal after the break. This result marks their second draw in three matches, offering a glimmer of hope to the chasing pack. Hearts manager Derek McInnes admitted the draw felt like a defeat, stating, "I thought we didn't deserve any more than the point we got... we came here with high expectations to get three points and I've got to accept that we weren't good enough."
Meanwhile, the new Rangers manager, Danny Röhl, celebrated his third consecutive Premiership victory as his side defeated Dundee 3-0 away from home. This win moves Rangers to within 12 points of Hearts, with a game in hand. The goals came from Nico Raskin, who headed home a ninth-minute corner, Mikey Moore with his first goal since joining on loan from Tottenham, and a late curler from Djeidi Gassama in the 90th minute.
Elsewhere in the Scottish Premiership
The weekend's action also saw Aberdeen and Motherwell share the points in a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie. The match was lit up by Jesper Karlsson's superb 25-yard strike for Aberdeen in the 61st minute, only for Motherwell to level almost immediately through Elijah Just. Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin praised his goalscorer, noting "Jesper has this ability... when he gets the opportunity to shoot he is always dangerous."
The round of fixtures was not without controversy, particularly concerning VAR decisions. St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson expressed doubts over the technology's accuracy after having two more goals disallowed for offside in their 3-0 defeat by Hibernian. Similarly, Livingston manager David Martindale felt hard done by after a penalty was awarded against his side following a VAR review in their draw at Falkirk.
