The Tynecastle side Extend 8 Points Clear in Front at the Pinnacle Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes Celtic
History wasn't made at their home ground, with it being far too early for such milestones. What this match did emphasise is that the Edinburgh club possess a real strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the team over the visitors, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase were key, following a tight first half that was evenly matched. What was so notable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. The Greek winger scored Hearts’ second, moving infield before blasting a strike past the stationary Kasper Schmeichel. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Murray fouling the Hearts player for a foul that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; challenges abound for him.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. The defender, who had a difficult day, turned the ball into his own net due to confusion when trying to remove a Shankland cross. Celtic edged their way back into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report coming soon.
