“The only target is to win the league, nothing else” Giakoumakis, “Intense. The atmosphere was crazy” O’Riley

I’ve watched last night’s highlights until my eyes hurt, but it’s certainly been worth it! What a performance that was from both Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley and it’s a huge three points that we’ll be talking about for months to come, perhaps until we have our title winning party in May. No park benches will be destroyed but we’ll remember that night at Tynecastle as one of the key wins in delivering the title.

Here are those highlights that I’ve been watching…

Then there’s a brilliant post match interview with Giorgos Giakoumakis, who is very candid about the match but reckons that Celtic are capable of beating every opponent in the league. He finishes his interview off with a bang declaring that the only target is to win the league, nothing else.

Debut Bhoy and Man of the Match Matt O’Riley spoke to Sky Sports after the match. Here’s what he had to say about a night to remember for Celtic’s new Bhoy.

How do you sum up your debut? Intense. The atmosphere was crazy, more than I’ve ever experienced as a player. I’ve come from mainly (English) League One, where there are fans but not like this. I’m not used to it so it was definitely a good experience in that sense. Yeah, just really happy to get the first game under my belt and hopefully now I can push on.

From a team point of view, it was dominant in the first half but did you have to grind it out in the second? Yeah, we didn’t control the game as well as we should’ve. We let them get back into it with quite a sloppy goal and they should’ve scored another with the penalty, obviously. So, in that sense, I think we caused our own problems but at the end of the day we still won the game so that’s the main thing.

How are you? I’m alright, I’m alright. I’m just getting used to it I think. I hadn’t played a game in a couple of weeks so I think I’m just – not getting up to speed – but come that 80-minute mark my calf just seized up a bit. It was a tough game so it makes sense. But I’m really happy with the game overall and now it’s time to rest up and go again on Saturday.

We’ve already looked at what Ange Postecoglou had to say to Celtic TV after last night’s huge win at Tyecastle, however if you’ve not had a chance to view that yet here it is again, together with some of Ange’s post match celebrations with the 1200 Celtic supporters at the game…

It’s means as much to him as it does all of us!!!!!!! Nothing compares to the Celtic family 💚🍀 pic.twitter.com/gZe0L4qISD

— Munners (@munners916) January 26, 2022

Next, Celtic TV have decided to pile on the pleasure – painful of otherwise – with their brilliant unique angle footage which is now available. So sit back and enjoy ten or twelve times.

First up you have Reo Hatate’s ‘Tynecastle Rocket’ and this is worth watching, even if it’s just for the sound the ball makes when it hits the back of the net, and again when Giorgos Giakoumakis thumps it back in as if he just wants to make sure!

And second helpings some courtesy of a fantastic assist from debut man of the match Matt O’Riley and Giakoumakis’ wonderfully inventive and sumptuous back heel finish, that you just know broke some hearts behind that goal.

Two brilliant finishes from two players who were simply outstanding last night, in a game that will without doubt go a long way to deciding the destination of this season’s title race.

Make no mistake, as much as we are all buzzing by this performance last night and today, over at Ibrox the pressure is mounting and they know they are faltering.

Last night’s game was one they will all have been counting on for us to drop points, so to see us go to Tynecastle and win with style won’t just have broken Hearts at Tynecastle, the reverberations will have been felt at Ibrox too.

And to think Ange Postecoglou thinks Reo Hatate is just getting started – and with three wins from three since returning from the winter break, perhaps so too are Celtic!

That was a huge win. We lost our way a bit after they scored, but we also played some great stuff in the 1st half. Just wish we were more clinical in finishing games off when on top like that.

Hatate & O’Riley look like they have a lot to offer. And good to see GG playing well.

— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) January 26, 2022

Big win 👊 Was nervous today. But wins like that are the making of a brilliant team, it’s exciting 🤗 Much appreciation for Matt O’Riley, Niro, Reo 🚀 GG & Our centre halves – so mainly everyone… 🍀🟢✅ https://t.co/kjFZrfxEni

— Kerry K (@422Kerry) January 26, 2022