The Jambos Extend Eight Points Clear at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real credible shot of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long dominance by two. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over their rivals, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes proved decisive, following a tight first half that was fiercely fought. 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 scored Hearts’ second, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the static the goalkeeper. Delight increased in the stands, Dane Murray bringing down Braga for a foul that the captain slotted home. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic bounced back from the hosts' quick opening. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to remove a delivery from Shankland. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader McGregor, scoring a Tierney pull-back for level terms.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The keeper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Arne Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett blocked a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the minutes passed. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. One cannot overlook the buzz.
- Full report coming soon.