The Tynecastle side Push 8 Points Ahead at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Defeats Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle Park, since it's far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long stranglehold. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the Latter Period
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, following a tight first half that was contested closely. It was remarkable after they took a 3-1 lead was how untroubled the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort past the motionless the Celtic keeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender upending the Hearts player for a spot-kick that the captain slotted home. Rodgers appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros 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 struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to remove a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney pull-back for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The keeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. One cannot overlook the buzz.
- Full report to follow.
