Celtic have eased into the fifth round of the Scottish Cup with a comfortable 4-0 win over 10-man Hearts at Tynecastle this afternoon.
The hosts were dealt a blow early on when captain Morgaro Gomis went in two-footed on Celtic skipper Scott Brown, earning himself a straight red card for the challenge.
The Scottish champions' numerical advantage soon started to show, with John Guidetti testing the Hearts defenders with a curling free kick, before Adam Matthews fired a long range effort wide.
Celtic finally got the better of Neil Alexander just before the half-hour mark when the hosts failed to clear a corner, leaving Anthony Stokes to lash the ball towards goal, but it was Virgil van Dijk who turned it in with a flick into the bottom corner.
The defender almost added his second of the game before the break when Stokes curled a corner in towards him, but he sliced the shot well high.
The visitors were given a chance to double their advantage shortly after the restart when Brad McKay appeared to bring Guidetti down in the box, although replays suggested the contact was minimal.
Despite this, the Premiership side were awarded a penalty, and the on-loan striker stepped up to take it himself, smashing the ball past Alexander.
Celtic were in again two minutes later when Brown picked out Stokes with a through-ball, and the striker managed to find the back of the net despite scuffing his low finish.
Hearts continued to come under pressure at the back, and conceded a fourth when Van Dijk rose highest to head in from a Stefan Johansen corner.
Kris Commons thought that he had added a fifth late on when he poked a rebound in after Aleksandar Tonev had a shot parried away, but the striker's goal was chalked off when the referee ruled that there had been a foul in the build up.
Robbie Buchanan tried to add a late consolation for the hosts, but the 18-year-old drilled his finish just wide after a quick break from the halfway line.
Celtic will find out who they will face in the next round when the draw takes place tomorrow afternoon.
Sian Cowper
