Hearts Move 8 Points Clear Clear at the Summit Following Shankland's Penalty Overcomes 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 are at least in with credible shot of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long title duopoly. Make that an eight-point lead for the team over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Turning Point in the After the Break
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, following a tight first half that was contested closely. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the home side. The Greek winger netted the second goal, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the motionless the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, Dane Murray fouling Braga for a spot-kick that the captain tucked away. Rodgers appeared frustrated; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic bounced back from an early setback. Murray, who struggled throughout, turned the ball into his own net due to haste when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. They gradually fought back into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The keeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. The hosts faced little else as the game concluded. “We shall not be moved” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
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