{"id":58705,"date":"2026-04-25T15:27:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T19:27:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/celtic-go-level-with-scottish-premiership-leaders-hearts-before-title-rivals-are-in-action-on-sunday-football-news\/25\/04\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T15:27:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T19:27:34","slug":"celtic-go-level-with-scottish-premiership-leaders-hearts-before-title-rivals-are-in-action-on-sunday-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/celtic-go-level-with-scottish-premiership-leaders-hearts-before-title-rivals-are-in-action-on-sunday-football-news\/25\/04\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Celtic go level with Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts before title rivals are in action on Sunday | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Celtic moved level on points with Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts after a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Falkirk at Celtic Park.<\/p>\n

Martin O’Neill’s side successfully took advantage of playing before their title rivals by piling the pressure on Rangers and Hearts – who are not in action until Sunday.<\/p>\n

Daizen Maeda and Kieran Tierney provided two excellent first-half finishes as the Bairns were punished for passing up some big opportunities.<\/p>\n

Kyrell Wilson’s sublime half-volley in the second period gave the visitors some hope of a comeback, but Maeda then added his second of the evening seven minutes from time to secure three crucial points in the race for the title.<\/p>\n

The Champions have now won four matches in a row and have four games left to defend their Premiership crown.<\/p>\n

Sixth-place Falkirk now face an uphill battle to get among the European spots, having won just one of their last five in all competitions.<\/p>\n

How Celtic bested spirited Falkirk<\/h3>\n

It was always going to a tough afternoon for the visitors after losing three key players in Scott Bain, Filip Lissah and Liam Henderson to injury in last weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by rivals Dunfermline Athletic.<\/p>\n

However, they actually started the better of the two sides.<\/p>\n

Captain Brad Spencer had an excellent volley from distance pushed wide by Viljami Sinisalo at full stretch before Dylan Tait headed wide following a neat corner routine.<\/p>\n

But as John McGlynn’s side have learned in their four matches against Celtic this campaign, you must be ruthless against the champions.<\/p>\n

Maeda, just as he did in Sunday’s semi-final win over St Mirren, again displayed his freakish pressing abilities for the opening goal.<\/p>\n

The Japan international pounced on Keelan Adams’ heavy touch on the halfway line before catching goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth off his line with a clever first-time finish.<\/p>\n

Tierney then stretched their advantage to two on the stroke of half-time as he thumped a sixth goal of the season in off the crossbar to complete a swift Celtic counter-attack.<\/p>\n

O’Neill’s men controlled much of the second period and Yang had a third goal ruled out for offside before Falkirk got themselves back in it with 20 minutes to go.<\/p>\n

Substitute Kyrell Wilson took Leon McCann’s cross-field pass on the chest before unleashing an unstoppable half-volley to find the top corner from an acute angle.<\/p>\n

Wilson continued to look a threat as Falkirk went in search of an equaliser, but all hope of a precious point was extinguished with seven minutes remaining when Maeda popped up with his second of the afternoon.<\/p>\n

Last season’s ‘Player of the Year’ looked like his old self and got on the end of Sebastian Tounekti’s cutback to roll in his third goal in two matches – after going his previous 17 without scoring.<\/p>\n

Perhaps hitting form at the right time? O’Neill will hope so.<\/p>\n

Four games to go and just one point between the top three. For now\u2026<\/p>\n

What the managers said<\/h3>\n

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill:<\/strong> “The result was the most important thing.<\/p>\n

“Daizen Maeda was phenomenal today\u2026 I thought he was tremendous today. I’m delighted with the result and delighted with quite a number of performances.<\/p>\n

“There’s been a lot of adversity, but the players have shown immense character. We’ve got flaws like everybody else, but you cannot dispute the character of the team.<\/p>\n

“I will pay attention to what’s happening [on Sunday], absolutely, I’ve always done that.<\/p>\n

“I remember going back years and years ago worrying about what Rangers might do the next day. Hearts have shown great resilience, it’s a three-horse race.”<\/p>\n

Falkirk manager John McGlynn:<\/strong> “I’m really pleased with the performance; it was a big test for us today mentally after losing the late goals against Rangers and the penalty shoutout last week against Dunfermline.<\/p>\n

“We gave that as good a go as anyone could have given\u2026 there’s not a lot in the stats.<\/p>\n

“We tried to play a couple of times and lost the ball, Celtic punished us. Celtic were very much at it and were pressing with great intensity.<\/p>\n

“I’m really proud of them because there was a big question about how we’d respond to that last week. Yeah, we’re beat, but the mentality of the team was great.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Celtic moved level on points with Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts after a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Falkirk at Celtic Park. Martin O’Neill’s