Hearts Extend Eight Points in Front at the Pinnacle After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Defeats Celtic
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such landmarks. What this match did emphasise is that Hearts possess a real credible shot of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long dominance by two. Make that an eight-point lead for the team over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.
Turning Point in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes proved decisive, after an opening period that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they extended their advantage was how untroubled the rest of the game was for the home side. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the stationary the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender upending Braga for a spot-kick that the captain tucked away. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Dane 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, leader McGregor, scoring a Tierney pull-back for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in added time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the popular anthem at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Detailed coverage coming soon.
