Hearts Move Eight Points Ahead at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats The Hoops
History wasn't made at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine credible shot of breaking Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. The challenge is now for others.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, once the initial exchanges that was fiercely fought. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how untroubled the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the stationary Kasper Schmeichel. Delight increased in the stands, Murray fouling Braga for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. Brendan Rodgers appeared frustrated; challenges abound for him.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, scored an own goal due to haste when trying to clear a delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney pass for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in added time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the minutes passed. “We shall not be moved” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Full report coming soon.
