Hearts Extend 8 Points Clear Clear at the Pinnacle Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Defeats Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such landmarks. This game highlighted is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year stranglehold. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Try to chase them down.
Key Moments in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was evenly matched. It was remarkable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis doubled the lead, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the static the Celtic keeper. More joy followed in the stands, Murray bringing down Cláudio Braga for a foul that Shankland tucked away. Rodgers looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic had actually recovered well from the hosts' quick opening. Murray, who struggled throughout, turned the ball into his own net due to haste when trying to remove a ball into the box. They gradually fought back into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, turning home a Tierney pass for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The keeper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the game concluded. “We remain resolute” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Full report to follow.