Wilfried Nancy's first match in charge of Celtic descended into a nightmare as his new-look side collapsed to a 2-1 home defeat against Hearts, delivering a severe blow to their Scottish Premiership title ambitions.
A Promising Start Turns Sour
For 43 minutes at a rain-swept Celtic Park, the home support saw glimpses of the future under their new French manager. Nancy, arriving at the ground at 1.30pm to a warm reception, set his team up in a 3-4-3 formation he favoured during his time in the United States. Celtic started with high energy and aggressive pressing, with Daizen Maeda and Seb Tounekti threatening early. The one-touch play enthused the crowd, but a crucial element was missing: a goal.
The momentum shattered just before half-time. Against the run of play, Claudio Braga fired Hearts into the lead in the 43rd minute, capitalising on defensive uncertainty after Liam Scales' clearance fell to Cammy Devlin. The Portuguese forward drilled his shot into the bottom corner as Celtic's backline appealed in vain for offside.
Second-Half Collapse Proves Costly
Celtic's response after falling behind was, in truth, wholly inadequate. Any composure from the first half evaporated. The team went to pieces in the second period, misplacing simple passes, shanking balls out of play, and running aimlessly. Hearts, emboldened, grew in stature and control.
The visitors sealed their victory just after the hour mark. From a deep Lawrence Shankland corner, Oisin McEntee thumped a powerful header past a stranded Kasper Schmeichel. Celtic, who had started with such purpose, now looked utterly bereft of ideas. A late consolation from Kieran Tierney in stoppage time did little to mask a dismal performance.
Consequences for the Title Race
This result halts the run of five successive wins Celtic had enjoyed since their last defeat at Tynecastle in October. The defeat leaves them three points off the pace at the top of the table and only six ahead of rivals Rangers, applying immediate pressure on Nancy's nascent regime.
For Hearts, this was a performance of immense character. After a shaky start, they were unrecognisable following Braga's opener, winning individual battles across the pitch. While this win won't definitively decide the title race, it significantly boosts their chances of being a major factor in the run-in. The image of Celtic's head of football operations, Paul Tisdale, seemingly asleep in the stands during the second half, felt grimly symbolic of his team's efforts. Celtic must wake up, and fast.
