Iheanacho's last-gasp penalty sets up Celtic v Hearts title decider

EDINBURGH, May 13 : Celtic's Kelechi Iheanacho scored a controversial penalty with the last kick of the game to secure a 3-2 win at Motherwell on Wednesday, sending the Scottish Premiership title race to a final-day showdown against leaders Heart of Midlothian.

With Hearts beating Falkirk 3-0 at home and Celtic being held after Motherwell's Liam Gordon scored an 85th-minute equaliser at Fir Park, a first title in 66 years was within touching distance for the Edinburgh club.

Had it stayed like that, Celtic would have needed to beat Hearts by a three-goal margin at home on Saturday.

But deep in stoppage time, Motherwell's Sam Nicholson headed away a ball into the area but was adjudged by referee John Beaton, after a VAR check and him viewing a pitch-side monitor, to have brushed the ball with his raised hand despite no Celtic player appealing for it.

Under enormous pressure, Iheanacho stayed ice cool to slot his kick past keeper Calum Ward to spark a pitch invasion by delirious Celtic fans and take an epic title race to a climax on Saturday where Hearts will need a draw to become the first team other than Celtic or Rangers to be champions since 1985.

While Celtic manager Martin O'Neill praised his side's never-say-die spirit, Hearts manager Derek McInnes, having watched the video of Celtic's penalty, struggled to contain his anger.

"It's disgusting. We're up against everybody. I don't think it's a penalty," he told Sky Sports. "It's so poor and it looks as though (Celtic) have been given it.

"They are very fortunate. It's going to the last game. We're delighted to be part of it. We're going to have to go and get a positive result. What a game it's going to be."

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou described the penalty decision