The Jambos Move Eight Points Ahead in Front at the Pinnacle Following Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such achievements. What this match did emphasise is that the Edinburgh club are at least in with strong chance of ending Scottish football's four decade-long title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for Hearts over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Turning Point in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, following a tight first half that was fiercely fought. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the closing stages of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the motionless the Celtic keeper. More joy followed in the stands, Dane Murray fouling Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. Brendan Rodgers appeared frustrated; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from Hearts’ rapid start. Murray, who had a difficult day, 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, the captain Callum McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney pull-back for level terms.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the game concluded. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
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