The Tynecastle side Extend Eight Points Ahead at Top After Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes Celtic
We did not witness at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such milestones. What this match did emphasise is that the Edinburgh club are at least in with serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the Latter Period
A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, following a tight first half that was contested closely. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the hosts. Kyziridis doubled the lead, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the static the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender upending Cláudio Braga for a spot-kick that Lawrence Shankland converted. Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; challenges abound for him.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
Celtic's Response
Celtic bounced back from the hosts' quick opening. Murray, who struggled throughout, turned the ball into his own net due to haste when trying to clear a Shankland cross. The Hoops worked their way into the game, skipper McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney cutback for level terms.
Stubborn Defence
The keeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which touched Magnússon. Halkett blocked a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We remain resolute” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
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