MX23RW : Monday, February 15 04:45:12| >> :120:11628:11628:
Dec 20, 2020 at 2.15pm UK at Hampden Park
CelticCeltic
3-3
HeartsHearts
Christie (19'), Edouard (29' pen.), Griffiths (105+1')
Elyounoussi (71'), Ajer (91'), McGregor (107'), Jullien (116')
FT(HT: 2-0)
Boyce (48'), Kingsley (67'), Ginnelly (111')
Gordon (29'), Halliday (33'), Walker (51'), Naismith (62'), Wighton (88'), Smith (105')
Celtic win 4-3 on penalties

Conor Hazard "delighted" to play a key role for Celtic

Conor Hazard
© Reuters
The goalkeeper saved two shoot-out spot-kicks on his third appearance to help the Hoops retain the Scottish Cup.

Conor Hazard was still struggling to come to terms with his status as Celtic hero after helping the Hoops to a thrilling William Hill Scottish Cup final win over Hearts.

Hazard saved two penalties in the shoot-out as Celtic secured an unprecedented quadruple domestic treble after a pulsating Hampden encounter ended 3-3 after extra time.

The 22-year-old Northern Ireland international only made his debut against Lille in the Europa League on December 10.

The boyhood Celtic fan kept his place last week against Kilmarnock and was again preferred to Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain for the delayed 2020 final at Hampden Park.

He said: "I don't think it's sunk it yet, and it's been a crazy week and a half now.

"Three weeks ago, I would never have pictured this moment, so I'm just trying to take it all in my stride and take each day as it comes.

"In the course of the game, there were goals that we could have stopped but at the end of the day, we're just delighted with the result and the momentous occasion, and I'm delighted, absolutely delighted."

Celtic were two goals up after a dominant first-half display but Liam Boyce headed a goal back and Hearts twice equalised following set-piece goals to take the game to penalties.

Former Hoops goalkeeper Craig Gordon saved first, from Ryan Christie.

But Hazard immediately denied both Kingsley and Craig Wighton before Kristoffer Ajer drove home to take the cup back to Parkhead for a record fourth successive season and the 40th time in all.

Hazard said: "It doesn't go through your mind becoming a hero. You just try to save each penalty as it comes, so I'm really delighted.

"There's always a plan to try and make them go a certain way, and I'm just delighted it paid off. Woodsy (goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods) and I worked on it really hard ahead of the game, and did a lot of work on it, so I couldn't be happier.

"It was a crazy day for me, but I'm glad it worked out. You don't want to know what was going through my head at that point (after third goal).

"I was quite angry at the time but it was all about bouncing back and trying to get my composure back as quick as possible, which, thank God, I did."

ID:427409:cQx

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How you voted: Celtic vs Hearts

Celtic
83.9%
Draw
3.2%
Hearts
12.9%
31
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Celtic manager Neil Lennon pictured on November 5, 2020
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Neil Lennon expecting to face confident Hearts team in cup final
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1RangersRangers2925406986179
2Celtic28187363224161
3Hibernian28147739261349
4Aberdeen2812973128345
5Livingston28116113534139
6Dundee UnitedDundee Utd29810112638-1234
7St Mirren2796122632-633
8St Johnstone2979132839-1130
9Motherwell2877142643-1728
10Kilmarnock2973192641-1524
11Hamilton AcademicalHamilton2765162753-2623
12Ross County2865172153-3223

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