The Tynecastle side Move Eight Points Ahead in Front at the Pinnacle Following Shankland's Penalty Defeats Celtic
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Hearts have a genuine serious opportunity of ending Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they decisively beat. Try to chase them down.
Turning Point in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes proved decisive, following a tight first half that was evenly matched. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how untroubled the remainder 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 motionless the Celtic keeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Murray bringing down Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. Rodgers appeared frustrated; challenges abound for him.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from an early setback. The defender, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. They gradually fought back into the game, the captain McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney pass for level terms.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Arne Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We remain resolute” has become the popular anthem at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Detailed coverage to follow.
