Celtic Frustrated at Half-Time as Hearts Hold Firm in the Capital

As the teams head into the break, it’s all square at Tynecastle, but Celtic will hope they can turn things up a gear in the second half.

Dominating possession with nearly 70% of the ball, the Hoops have controlled much of the game, although they’ve yet to break down a stubborn Hearts defence.

The first half has been a tale of possession versus high-pressing, with Celtic patiently probing while Hearts have been more direct in attack.

The hosts have looked dangerous at times, especially down the left flank where James Penrice and Lawrence Shankland combined to cause Celtic some early headaches.

Penrice’s intelligent runs and Shankland’s presence in the box have put Celtic’s defence to the test, with one header from Shankland just wide of the post.

However, despite their best efforts, Hearts have been unable to find the back of the net.

Celtic have created their own chances in the game.

Kyogo Furuhashi, as ever, has looked lively, firing a long-range effort straight at Craig Gordon, while a beautifully weighted pass from Nicolas Kuhn nearly set up the Japanese forward for a spectacular chance.

Callum McGregor’s incisive passing has also been a highlight, though Hearts’ backline has held firm for now.

With Celtic controlling the tempo and possession, the only thing missing has been the finishing touch.

Brendan Rodgers will be hopeful in the second half that Celtic can step up a level, as they have not been at their scintillating best yet and have looked slow and predictable on the ball despite such high possession numbers.