The Tynecastle side Extend 8 Points Clear in Front at Top After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Defeats Celtic
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Hearts possess a real credible shot of breaking Scottish football's four decade-long title duopoly. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over Celtic, whom they decisively beat. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase were key, after an opening period that was fiercely fought. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the closing stages of the game was for the hosts. The Greek winger doubled the lead, moving infield before blasting a strike past the static the goalkeeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender fouling the Hearts player for a spot-kick that Lawrence Shankland converted. Brendan Rodgers appeared frustrated; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
The away side responded positively from an early setback. Murray, who struggled throughout, turned the ball into his own net due to confusion when trying to deal with a Shankland cross. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The keeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. One cannot overlook the buzz.
- Full report will be available.