The Tynecastle side Move Eight Points in Front at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Defeats Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such milestones. What this match did emphasise is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the Latter Period
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, once the initial exchanges that was fiercely fought. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how untroubled the remainder of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead, moving infield before blasting a strike past the stationary the goalkeeper. More joy followed in the stands, Dane Murray fouling the Hearts player for a spot-kick that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. The Celtic manager cut such a disconsolate figure; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from the hosts' quick opening. Dane Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, turned the ball into his own net due to confusion when trying to clear a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Nygren in the first half, blocked an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Shin 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 the ground. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Full report to follow.
