The Jambos Push Eight Points Ahead at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Sees Off The Hoops
History wasn't made at their home ground, with it being far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing stranglehold. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
A crucial three-minute spell proved decisive, following a tight first half that was evenly matched. What was so notable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the static the goalkeeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender upending the Hearts player for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. The Celtic manager appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Dane Murray, who struggled throughout, conceded an own goal due to panic when trying to clear a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney cutback for the equaliser.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in added time. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We shall not be moved” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report to follow.
