BBC Homepage World Service Education
BBC Homepagelow graphics version | feedback | help
BBC News Online
 You are in: Sport: Football: Scottish Premier
Front Page 
World 
UK 
UK Politics 
Business 
Sci/Tech 
Health 
Education 
Entertainment 
Talking Point 
In Depth 
AudioVideo 
Saturday, 8 April, 2000, 17:13 GMT 18:13 UK
Hearts stay on Euro course

Hearts 1-0 Celtic

Gary McSwegan scored against 10-man Celtic to strengthen their grip on third place and a Uefa Cup passport next season.

The result also leaves Rangers just three league wins from defending their championship, with Hearts now closer to second-placed Celtic than the league leaders.

Hearts are now five points clear of nearest challengers Motherwell, and lie 12 points behind Celtic with another 13 to Rangers at the top.

This stormy encounter saw Celtic captain Paul Lambert sent off in the 33rd minute for a second foul on Darren Jackson.

Nine other players went into the book while Jackson then played his part in McSwegan's winner three minutes later.

Kenny Dalglish recalled Lubomir Moravcik to the side in the place of the injured Mark Viduka.

The Slovakian, watched by his national coach, started like he wanted to put on a good show, but failed to make an impression throughout the game.

After 10 minutes Jonathan Gould had to pull off a brilliant finger-tip save to deny Colin Cameron's terrific drive from Jackson's cross.

Lambert bookings

Lambert then fired wide from the edge of the box in the 12th minute, shortly before the Scotland midfielder's first yellow card for a reckless challenge on Jackson.

Regi Blinker also had his name took for deliberate handball, and may have been lucky to escape a second for a late tackle on Thomas Flogel.

Tommy Johnson then tried to chip Antti Niemi but the Finn made a tremendous save.

And McSwegan handed the visitors a clear warning midway through the half when he fired just inches past the post and then headed tamely at Gould from seven yards.

Lambert was then sent off by referee Hugh Dallas after a desperate lunge on Jackson on the edge of the area.

McSwegan goal

Hearts took just three minutes to make the extra-man advantage pay.

From Jackson's corner, Blinker cleared off the line from Gordan Petric.

The ball fell to McSwegan, who made up for his earlier misses to fire home.

Eyal Berkovic and Blinker were replaced by Mark Burchill and Colin Healy for the second half.

The period saw more bookings and chances at both ends.

Gould kept the visitors in the game with saves from Gary Naysmith and Lee Makel while Johan Mjallby cleared off the line.

For Celtic, the lively Burchill was twice denied an equaliser by Niemi while the Bhoys were also denied a penalty claim in the final minute.

Teams:

Hearts: Niemi, Pressley, Naysmith, Petric, Flogel, Cameron, Jackson, Makel, Tomaschek, McSwegan, Adam. Subs: McKenzie, Fulton, Simpson, Wales, Severin.

Celtic: Gould, McNamara, Mjallby, Riseth, Petrov, Blinker, Berkovic, Lambert, Wieghorst, Johnson, Moravcik. Subs: Kerr, Burchill, Crainey, Rafael, Healy.

Referee: Hugh Dallas (Scotland)

Search BBC News Online

Advanced search options
Launch console
BBC RADIO NEWS
BBC ONE TV NEWS
WORLD NEWS SUMMARY
PROGRAMMES GUIDE
See also:

08 Apr 00 | Scottish Premier
Dundee bounce back in style
08 Apr 00 | Scottish Premier
Killie claim last-gasp win
08 Apr 00 | Football
Ayr destroyed by rampant Gers
Links to other Scottish Premier stories are at the foot of the page.