The Jambos Push Eight Points Ahead Clear at Top After Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats Celtic
A historic moment didn't occur at their home ground, since it's far too early for such milestones. What this match did emphasise is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. The challenge is now for others.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
Three second-half minutes made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was evenly matched. It was remarkable after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the stationary the Celtic keeper. More joy followed in the stands, Murray fouling Braga for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. The Celtic manager looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Dane Murray, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to panic when trying to deal with a Shankland cross. Celtic edged their way back into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, turning home a Tierney pass for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the ground. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Complete analysis to follow.
