Just a day after proclaiming that Celtic could through the remainder of the domestic campaign winning every game, Ronny Deila was forced to settle for a point as the Parkhead side drew a blank against a resolute Hearts side.
Celtic's frustration was compounded by the fact that they could not fully capitalise on league leaders Aberdeen's defeat to Inverness and the chance to narrow the gap to just two points was lost.
It was an afternoon in which the Parkhead club lay siege to the Hearts goal yet the Tynecastle side stood firm throughout.
There were just five minutes on the clock when a Kris Commons free-kick whizzed past the post, an attempt that set the tone for an opening period which Celtic dominated but could not find a way to make their pressure bear fruit.
Hearts, with Juanma and Osman Sow up front, were set out to contain Celtic and limit the space while also possessing the ability to hit on the break. Their work in limiting Celtic and squeezing the space made for a frustrating afternoon for Celtic who created plenty but couldn’t find the breakthrough.
James Forrest made his eighth start of the season – the best beginning to a campaign he has had in terms of maintaining fitness – and was at the heart of much of Celtic’s inventive play.
It was the Scotland internationalist who rattled the woodwork from the edge of the box after being teed up by Leigh Griffiths but he was as much of a threat when it came to turning provider. Tom Rogic, who put in another decent shift in the middle of the park, ought to have done much better when he dragged a shot wide of the post after Forrest had slipped him through.
Yet, he was not the only one guilty of being profligate in front of goal. Griffiths had a header go wide of the mark and, later, a free header after a slack Blazej Augustyn clearance broke to him in the 6-yard box which he headed tamely into the arms of Neil Alexander.
Hearts’ only real forward foray with any menace came in the early stages when Juanma lifted a shot just wide of the target but by and large it was an opening 45 minutes in which the visitors toiled to get over the halfway line.
Robbie Nielson’s side seemed to find a bit more verve after the restart and an Igor Rossi header had the Tynecastle support on their feet after he rippled the side netting.
Forrest and Scott Brown combined before the Celtic skipper unleashed a raking attempt that crept just wide of the target but as the game wore on so the frustration of the hosts began to grow. As the minutes ticked by, Celtic's sense of urgency increased but they could not transform their possession into a tangible advantage.
As the game entered the latter stages still goalless, Deila replaced Rogic with Nadir Ciftci as he moved to a two-pronged frontline. The Turk had a half-volley fly over the bar while Nir Bitton had a header go miles over.
Griffiths had a shot grasped by Alexander as Celtic pushed for a winner. Griffiths had the ball in the net in injury time only for whistler Kevin Clancy to chop it off for an infringement by Ciftci on Rossi.
It got worse for Celtic minutes later when Efe Ambrose was dismissed for hauling down Sam Nicholson as the game drew to a close.
CELTIC: Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Ambrose, Izaguirre; Brown; Commons, Rogic (Ciftci 75), Bitton, Forrest; Griffiths. Subs: Bailly, Blackett, Mackay-Steven, Janko, Johansen, Tierney.
HEARTS: Alexander; Paterson, Augustyn, Rossi, Oshaniwa; Nicholson, Pallardo, Gomis, Walker (Djoum 80); Sow (Bauben 65), Juanma (Reilly 79). Subs: Hamilton, Ozturk, McGhee, Swanson.
REFEREE: Kevin Clancy
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