Scottish League Cup: It was a tale of two penalties as Celtic beat Hearts 3-0

Celtic are safely through to the quarter-finals of the Scottish League Cup after handing Scottish Championship leaders Hearts a 3-0 third-round defeat.

The Celtic Park encounter hinged on a dramatic five-minute spell in the second-half, during which Hearts missed a penalty which would have made it 1-1 and then conceded a spot-kick themselves, which Kris Commons converted in emphatic fashion.

And an Adam Eckersley own-goal soon followed, making it 3-0 to the hosts, who had taken the lead in the first half when John Guidetti scored his first goal since joining on loan from Manchester City.

Celtic were first to go close on the night, Anthony Stokes shooting just wide with a low shot from the edge of the box, but Hearts then enjoyed a decent spell of pressure.

Jamie Walker and Prince Buaben had shots deflected away, while Jason Denayer had to make a crucial intervention to prevent Osman Sow getting on the end of a cross.

But Celtic then began to dominate and the hosts should have taken the lead just before the quarter-hour mark, only for Guidetti to shoot wide from close range after capitalising on some dawdling at the back from Alim Ozturk.

Hearts goalkeeper Neil Alexander then kept out a toe-poked effort from Denayer and a powerful Scott Brown drive.

But a goal seemed to be on the cards and duly arrived when Emilio Izaguirre sent over a fine cross from the left, Hearts defender Wilson failed to head clear and Guidetti (24) pounced, smashing a close-range half-volley in off the post.

Celtic continued to press and Eckersley did well to acrobatically clear a Guidetti effort off the Hearts line before Alexander produced a superb reflex save to prevent Morgaro Gomis from deflecting an Izaguirre cross into his own net.

But Hearts were inches away from equalising just before half-time as Walker latched onto a badly misplaced Izaguirre pass, only to see his shot bounce back off the Celtic crossbar.

Celtic began the second-half on the front foot and Stokes shot over the bar from distance.

However, Hearts were handed a fantastic chance to level in the 55th minute when referee Willie Collum pointed to the spot after Sow had gone down in the box under pressure from Virgil van Dijk.

Sow took the responsibility himself but smashed a poor penalty high over the crossbar, and Hearts found themselves two goals down moments later.

Ozturk barged Guidetti over as the Celtic man tried to get on the end of an Efe Ambrose through-ball and Kris Commons (57) smashed an unstoppable spot-kick past Alexander.

It had been a disastrous few minutes for Hearts and their night got even worse when Stokes hooked a cross into the box from the left and the unfortunate Eckersley (61) chested the ball into his own net under minimal pressure.

A relaxed Celtic could easily have had a fourth before full-time but Aleksandar Tonev was flagged offside after diverting a shot from his fellow sub Stefan Scepovic into the net.

The impressive Izaguirre then lashed a shot across the face of goal from a narrow angle after skilfully making the chance for himself with a jinking run.

But the hosts had to settle for a 3-0 success and they will be at home to Partick Thistle in the quarter-finals.