Hearts were defeated 4-1 by Celtic at Tynecastle Park this evening.
Second half strikes from Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kuhn, along with an Adam Idah brace, were enough to seal all three points for the Glasgow side.
Despite a late consolation effort from Musa Drammeh, Hearts finished the game empty-handed.
The Jam Tarts began the evening in good form; Shankland giving Blair Spittal a helping hand to craft the first chance of the game after two minutes – with the skipper sending a one-touch ball into the path of an oncoming Spittal, with his effort forcing a save from Kasper Schmeichel.
Another fell the Jambos’ way moments later when a slack pass from Greg Taylor across the edge of the box was hoovered up by James Penrice who sent an effort at goal from 25-yards to once again test the Denmark international.
Critchley’s men maintained their aggressive approach, and Shankland was unlucky to see a curling effort sail past the post after 16 minutes following a delightful cross from James Penrice in the build-up.
Penrice was enjoying a lot of success down the left side, with another dash to the byline seeing the ball sail into the Celtic box, with Shankland watching his header land into Schmeichel’s gloves.
Celtic, although largely restricted in the opening 25 minutes, weren’t without their moments. Kyogo did well to break away from the attentions of Frankie Kent and send a high effort from range towards the top corner; Craig Gordon at full stretch to claim.
Despite an impressive first half performance from Hearts, it finished all square at the break.
HT: Heart of Midlothian 0-0 Celtic
Celtic raced out the traps for the second half, testing Gordon inside the first five minutes of the restart as the Scotland international produced an excellent reaction stop to deny Kyogo from close range.
The visitors claimed the lead after 55 minutes. In the midst of a goalmouth stramash, Daizen Maeda freed the ball to Kyogo in space at the back post, with his effort from close range handing Celtic the lead.
The second arrived not long after, with Nicolas Kuhn getting the goal. Daizen Maeda led the break up the park before threading across to Kuhn; as the German winger sent a powerful strike past Gordon.
Reo Hatate watched as a vicious strike from the edge of the box went past the post, with Celtic now seeing more of the ball.
The third arrived on 77 minutes with Adam Idah sending a low drive beyond Gordon to put Celtic on a comfortable footing.
Hearts did pull one back into the final ten minutes, substitute Musa Drammeh drifting forward before unleashing a fine strike from range that sailed beyond the reach of Schmeichel.
It wasn't to be enough though with Adam Idah converting from the spot deep into injury time, following a Jorge Grant foul against James Forrest, to make it four for Celtic and another defeat for the Jambos.
Hearts: Gordon, Kent, Oyegoke, Baningime, Shankland, Devlin (Dhanda 78'), Rowles, Spittal (Musa 78'), Forrest (Vargas 66'), Boateng (Grant 66'), Penrice
Subs: Clark, Kingsley, Halkett, Grant, Dhanda, Wilson, Forrester, Musa, Vargas
Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston (Ralston 69'), Taylor, Trusty, Furuhashi (Idah 74'), Kuhn (Yang 74'), Carter-Vickers, Engels (Bernardo 66'), Maeda (Forrest 66'), Hatate, McGregor
Subs: Sinisalo, Scales, Idah, Valle, Yang, McCowan, Bernardo, Forrest, Ralston
