The Tynecastle side Push Eight Points Ahead Clear at Top Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes Celtic
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such achievements. This game highlighted is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine credible shot of breaking Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the Second Half
A crucial three-minute spell were key, after an opening period that was fiercely fought. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how untroubled the closing stages of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the stationary the goalkeeper. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Cláudio Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland converted. Brendan Rodgers appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Dane Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, turned the ball into his own net due to panic when trying to remove a ball into the box. They gradually fought back into the game, skipper McGregor, scoring a Tierney cutback for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the popular anthem at the ground. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report coming soon.
