Ange’s brilliant call after Mooy scores again in 13th-straight Celtic win

Celtic stayed on course for a domestic treble after cruising to a 3-0 Scottish Cup quarter-final win at Hearts on Saturday, with Socceroos star Aaron Mooy having yet another standout game highlighted by an early goal.

Hearts are on track to finish third in the Premiership behind Celtic and Rangers for the second consecutive season.

But the gulf between the Old Firm and the rest only appears to be growing as they were beaten by Ange Postecoglou’s men for a second time in four days.

Celtic have already retained the League Cup and are nine points clear of Rangers in the league title fight, and now have won 13 straight matches in all competitions.

An early strike from Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy put the Scottish champions on course for the last four.

Kyogo Furuhashi then took his tally for the season to 26 with a delightful backheel finish from Alistair Johnston’s cross just before halftime.

The visitors eased off after the break, but still grabbed a third 10 minutes from time when Cameron Carter-Vickers headed in Matt O’Riley’s free kick.

Australian centre-back Kye Rowles had a tough game for Hearts, while three more Socceroos – Cameron Devlin, Nathaniel Atkinson, and Garang Kuol – all came off the bench for the defeated club.

Postecoglou was full of praise for 32-year-old Mooy, who scored his seventh goal of the season.

He told ViaPlay straight after the match that Mooy had to work hard to build his fitness up after his arrival in July, subsequently becoming one of the most consistent performers this season.

“He’s going well. It’s no secret that he came in, in horsing parlance, underdone. He’d been in a paddock for a while but he looked after himself and he worked hard. Look, I was in no doubt that once he got up and running and fit he’d be a key contributor. He was great.”

Speaking to Celtic TV, Postecoglou echoed his praise: “He’s a good player, he’s a very good player. He’s a key contributor to us now.

“It is just as much about his ability as it is about his calmness and the knack he has for not letting the circumstances affect him.

“He has played at the highest level and you can see that quality.”

Mooy himself delivered a revealing post-match press conference, reflecting on the pressure to perform – and revealing he shares Postecoglou’s mindset that he feels relief, rather than happiness, after a victory.

Asked if it was the happiest he has been in his playing career, Mooy replied: “I don’t know. Celtic are a demanding club, so I’m whenever I’m playing, I’m under pressure to perform and to win. That’s what the supporters expect but it is enjoyable.

“You feel everything at this club – the support like the pressure, everything in football you can feel it. You feel it all at Celtic but I’m enjoying the challenge and hopefully it’ll be a good season.”

He added: “I’m saying, especially in the big games, like, I feel like that’s the first thing you feel is relief. It’s not joy or happiness. You just do what you’re meant to do …”

But he did add that he does have one moment when he can enjoy his successful run: “I do enjoy it when it’s a good game. My coffee, my coffee in the morning tastes better then. Until the games are won you don’t enjoy them. It’s not like I’m not enjoying it that much I when the whistle goes, and we’ve won and done a job that’s when you enjoy it.”

Asked if he would go home and watch the game again, he said with a smile: “I won’t watch it again. I’ll probably watch my goal … No, I’ll watch the highlights or something.”

Rangers are the only other top-flight team left in the competition ahead of their quarter-final clash against Raith Rovers on Sunday.

Second-tier Inverness are through to the last four after beating Kilmarnock 2-1 on Friday.

League One Falkirk take on Ayr United of the Championship in the other quarter-final on Monday.