Hearts 2-2 Celtic: Osman Sow's stunner secures draw
Sunday 27 December 2015 19:09, UK
Osman Sow scored a stunning stoppage-time equaliser as Hearts twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Celtic in a pulsating encounter at Tynecastle.
Sam Nicholson was also on target for Hearts in between goals from Nir Bitton and Tom Rogic which appeared to have set up Celtic for an eighth successive victory at the Edinburgh venue.
Sow struck from a free-kick 25-yards out following a trip by James Forrest on Billy King, and when Prince Buaben rolled the ball to the former Crystal Palace striker, his drive took a slight deflection off Gary Mackay-Steven and flew high into the corner of the net with Craig Gordon unable to react.
The result means Celtic open up a one-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership having played a game less than Aberdeen, while Hearts remain third.
Celtic had settled quickly and dominated the opening 10 minutes, causing concern for Hearts with some quick passing, and they almost opened the scoring when Stefan Johansen and Rogic combined to set up Nadir Ciftci but the striker's low drive from the edge of the penalty area was held at the second attempt by Neil Alexander.
Soon after, Ciftci stretched a leg to win a loose ball and knock it on to Rogic, but his shot was saved by the sprawling Alexander.
Hearts gradually got a foothold in the match, aided by Celtic losing both Stuart Armstrong and Dedryck Boyata to injuries, with Forrest and Efe Ambrose coming on as replacements.
The home fans thought their side had taken the lead on 34 minutes when Arnaud Djoum drove into the Celtic penalty area and squared a pass across the six yard box where Buaben arrived to stab the ball towards the far corner, but Gordon got down to produce a wonderful one-handed stop.
But Celtic struck three minutes before the interval when Blazej Augustyn failed to cut out a chip from Kieran Tierney, and Callum McGregor pounced to lay a first-time pass to Bitton and the midfielder took one touch before sliding the ball into the far corner past the advancing Alexander.
Hearts levelled in the first minute of stoppage-time as Celtic failed to clear their lines and Bauben delivered towards the back post where Nicholson arrived to take the ball off the toe of Mikael Lustig and send it spinning towards the far corner beyond Gordon.
Celtic again started brightly after the break as Ciftci fired a low drive through the legs of Igor Rossi, but Alexander got down to make a great block to his left.
Johansen and Rogic combined just outside the box to try and put Forrest through, after the Celtic winger started the move, but Callum Paterson got across to challenge, forcing Alexander into a diving save.
Celtic restored their advantage on 70 minutes with another exchange of one-touch football and Lustig clipped in a cross from the right which Bitton shuffled back to Rogic and the midfielder curled home from 20 yards off the underside of the bar.
The visitors appeared to be seeing out the match before the late drama, as Sow sent a swerving drive beyond the static Gordon.
