Hearts Extend 8 Points Clear at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Overcomes The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at their home ground, as it's far too early for such landmarks. This game highlighted is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Turning Point in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes were key, following a tight first half that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, cutting in from the left before blasting a strike past the motionless the Celtic keeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender fouling Braga for a spot-kick that the captain slotted home. The Celtic manager cut such a disconsolate figure; his problems are mounting.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Dane Murray, who struggled throughout, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader McGregor, scoring a Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which touched Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the minutes passed. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Detailed coverage to follow.