The Jambos Push 8 Points Clear Ahead at the Summit Following Shankland's Penalty Kick Defeats Celtic
We did not witness at Tynecastle, with it being far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine credible shot of ending 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.
Turning Point in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, after an opening period that was evenly matched. What was so notable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how stress-free the closing stages of the game was for the hosts. The Greek winger doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort past the static the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Cláudio Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland converted. Brendan Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against the opposition.
The Visitors' Fightback
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Dane Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, turned the ball into his own net due to panic when trying to remove a delivery from Shankland. The Hoops worked their way into the game, skipper McGregor, finishing a Tierney pull-back for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Arne Engels shot which deflected off Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. The hosts faced little else as the game concluded. “We shall not be moved” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Full report to follow.
