Hearts Extend 8 Points Clear Clear at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes The Hoops
We did not witness at Tynecastle, as it's far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with credible shot of ending Scottish football's four decade-long dominance by two. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over the visitors, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.
Key Moments in the Latter Period
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the stationary Kasper Schmeichel. More joy followed in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down the Hearts player for a spot-kick that Lawrence Shankland converted. The Celtic manager appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.
Supporters began celebrating after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic bounced back from Hearts’ rapid start. Dane Murray, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to haste when trying to deal with a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney pass for the equaliser.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the ground. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Full report to follow.
