The Tynecastle side Extend Eight Points Ahead in Front at the Summit Following Shankland's Penalty Kick Defeats The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with strong chance of breaking Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over the visitors, whom they decisively beat. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the Latter Period
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was fiercely fought. It was remarkable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how stress-free the closing stages of the game was for the home side. The Greek winger scored Hearts’ second, drifting inside before thumping a right-footed shot past the static the goalkeeper. Delight increased in the stands, Murray bringing down Cláudio Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Dane Murray, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to remove a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader McGregor, scoring a Tierney cutback for level terms.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. The hosts faced little else as the game concluded. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at Tynecastle. It is becoming increasingly difficult the noise.
- Full report to follow.
