The most remarkable season in a generation of Scottish football reached an equally remarkable conclusion as Daizen Maeda's 88th-minute strike shattered Hearts' title dreams at Celtic Park. The 3-1 victory secured the Scottish Premiership trophy for the 56th time, but the final scoreline only tells part of an extraordinary story.

VAR was called upon to confirm Maeda's goal was onside, but that was merely a precursor to the chaos that followed. In injury time, a pitch invasion erupted after Callum Osmond ran the length of the pitch to slot home into an empty net, as Hearts desperately pushed for the equalizer that would have made them champions for the first time since 1960.

It was impossible not to feel for Derek McInnes's players. They had taken the lead through Lawrence Shankland's first-half header and played with exceptional discipline and determination, pushing the Celtic crowd into the realms of agony. The contest flipped dramatically in first-half injury time when Arne Engels converted a penalty moments after Shankland's opener—a moment that left neutrals wondering what might have been had Hearts held their lead at the interval.

Neutrals will be devastated for Hearts, who have done so much to reignite interest in Scottish football this season. But Celtic proved an irresistible force in the second half, coming close on several occasions before Maeda—the hero of last week's decisive Old Firm victory against Rangers—popped up to break Hearts' hearts and seal a title win that will be remembered for generations.