Hearts and Celtic will contest an epic final-day decider for the Scottish Premiership title after another thrilling and chaotic night of twists and turns that culminated in a massively controversial penalty decision.
It will be a winner-takes-all showdown for glory at Celtic Park on Saturday lunchtime after both contenders won their penultimate games of the season on Wednesday night in hugely contrasting fashion, though a draw will be enough for Hearts.
The leaders went into their final home match of the campaign against mid-table Falkirk knowing that they would clinch a first title for 66 years with a fixture to spare if they won and Celtic lost on the road at fourth-place Motherwell, becoming the first club outside the Old Firm to do so since Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen side of 1984/85.
Celtic fell behind at Fir Park after 17 minutes as Elliot Watt’s volley from outside the box took a deflection and deceived goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo.
Hearts then took the lead against Falkirk just before the half-hour mark as Frankie Kent powered in a header from Alexandros Kyziridis’ corner.
They quickly extended that advantage at a rapturous Tynecastle when Cameron Devlin’s effort was deflected in.
Hearts were briefly on course to seal the title, only for Celtic to hit back against Motherwell shortly before half-time when Daizen Maeda - who scored an incredible overhead kick in Sunday’s 3-1 Old Firm derby win over Rangers - crashed in off the post from a tough angle.
Martin O’Neill’s team were ahead on 58 minutes through a brilliant Benjamin Nygren strike from distance that nestled in the top corner.
Motherwell gave Hearts renewed hope five minutes from time, though, when Liam Gordon, shortly after coming on, fired home following a series of saves from Sinisalo, which was quickly followed by Blair Spittal curling into the bottom corner to wrap up a commanding 3-0 victory for the Jambos over Falkirk.
Though they would not technically have it won, it looked like Hearts would go into the final day in a very strong position with a three-point lead and Celtic needing to win by three goals to stop them from lifting the title, only for another remarkable and controversial twist to play out.
Celtic were awarded a majorly contentious last-gasp penalty in stoppage time at Fir Park, with former Hearts midfielder Sam Nicholson penalised for handball having challenged Auston Trusty inside the box after referee John Beaton was sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR Andrew Dallas - a decision that furious Hearts boss Derek McInnes described as “disgusting”.
Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho stepped up to coolly convert a 99th-minute penalty, leading to many of Celtic’s travelling fans behind the goal spilling onto the pitch in wild scenes of celebration.
It means that Hearts remain a point ahead of Celtic heading into their huge final-day decider and with a goal difference that is better by five - +35 compared to +30.
They will be champions by avoiding defeat in Glasgow, though their victory at Motherwell now means that a Celtic win of any kind will see them crowned kings of Scotland once more.
Elsewhere on Wednesday night, Rangers lost for the fourth game in a row under Danny Rohl as Tottenham loanee Dane Scarlett produced a late winner for Hibernian after Thelo Aasgaard had cancelled out Martin Boyle’s early opener, with long-time Rangers captain James Tavernier missing what would have been his farewell game at Ibrox before he leaves in the summer.
