Heartbreak for Hearts as Celtic crowned Scottish Premiership champion

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GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — It's now a hat trick of last-day heartbreaks across six decades for arguably the unluckiest club in European soccer.

Heart of Midlothian was denied a first Scottish league title since 1960 on Saturday after losing a showdown game 3-1 at Celtic, which had to win and got the go-ahead goal in the 87th minute.

Add 2026 to 1986 and 1965 on the list of cruel ways fans of the unheralded Edinburgh club have seen title dreams dashed in the final minutes of the season.

Daizen Maeda, who is going to the World Cup with Japan, scored the crucial goal at Celtic Park that ultimately ensured the Glasgow giant would be crowned champion for the fifth year in a row and 14th time in 15 seasons. The goal was confirmed by video review to annul a raised offside flag.

Celtic extended its lead with an empty-net goal in the eighth and last minute of stoppage time when Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow went to the other end in search of a title-winning equalizer.

Callum Osmand putting the ball into the unguarded goal sparked wild celebrations from Celtic's fans, and hundreds invaded the field. Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland was reportedly punched by a Celtic fan as he tried to leave the field.

Shankland’s header in the 43rd gave Hearts a lead in a game it needed only to draw. Celtic leveled in first-half stoppage time when Arne Engels slotted a penalty awarded for handball.

The buildup to one of the most eagerly anticipated games in Scottish soccer history was dominated by the hugely controversial penalty that gave Celtic a key win on Wednesday.

It changed the balance of the title race and gave Celtic an easier path to its record 56th Scottish league title.

Deep into stoppage time in the second-to-last round, Celtic was tied at Motherwell 2-2. Then a penalty was awarded on video review for what the officials eventually judged was handball by Motherwell's Sam Nicholson.

Video evidence was inconclusive, to say the least, and furiously debated since late Wednesday when Celtic forward Kelechi Iheanacho scored from the spot in the 99th minute.

Soccer great Gary Lineker later called it possibly the worst VAR call he ever saw, and Hearts coach Derek McInnes said it was "actually quite disgusting.”

Had Celtic not won at Motherwell, the gap to Hearts would be three points. Celtic would then have needed to win by three clear goals on Saturday to edge the tiebreaker on goal difference.

Instead, Celtic needed just a win by any score.

Celtic and its city rival Rangers have won every Scottish league title since Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen was champion in 1985. That four-decade run started with severe trauma for Hearts fans.

In 1986, just as in this season, a surprising Hearts led the standings for months and needed just a draw on the last day.

In both cruel climaxes, Hearts held that draw in its hands beyond the 80th minute. Forty years ago, Hearts conceded two late goals to Dundee substitute Albert Kidd, and Celtic won the title on goal difference by winning its game 5-0.

Older fans recall another Hearts-breaker in 1965. Hosting second-placed Kilmarnock, Hearts knew a 2-0 loss was the result that could deny the title on the now-defunct tiebreaker of goal average. The result? 2-0 to Kilmarnock.

The latest 3-1 loss at Celtic added an unwanted chapter in the history of a club now majority owned by fans, with a fascinating minority owner: Tony Bloom, the professional gambler, who also owns English Premier League club Brighton. Bloom's data analytics firm found transfer market gems for Hearts, including the league player of the year Cláudio Braga.

Celtic's league title came in a chaotic season that saw two coaches leave: Brendan Rodgers, in open conflict with the club's board, and Wilfried Nancy, who lasted just weeks after being hired from Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer.

Long-time chairman Peter Lawwell left in December citing “intolerable” levels of “abuse and threats” from fans toward him and his family.

Club icon Martin O’Neill was twice appointed as interim manager and, at the age of 74, this was his fourth league title with the team — coming 22 years after his previous one. Celtic can do the double next weekend, in the Scottish Cup final against second-tier Dunfermline.

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