The Tynecastle side Extend Eight Points Clear Clear at Top After Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real serious opportunity of breaking Scottish football's long-standing stranglehold. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over Celtic, whom they decisively beat. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, following a tight first half that was contested closely. It was remarkable after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the motionless Kasper Schmeichel. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Dane Murray fouling Cláudio Braga for a foul that Shankland tucked away. The Celtic manager looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
Celtic's Response
The away side responded positively from the hosts' quick opening. Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, scored an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, the captain McGregor, scoring a Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Arne Engels shot which touched Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in stoppage time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Complete analysis to follow.
