The Tynecastle side Move 8 Points Ahead Clear at the Pinnacle Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Defeats Celtic
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such achievements. What this match did emphasise is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine serious opportunity of ending Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for Hearts over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.
Decisive Period in the Latter Period
Three second-half minutes proved decisive, following a tight first half that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how untroubled the remainder of the game was for the home side. Alexandros Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the stationary the goalkeeper. More joy followed in the stands, the Celtic defender fouling the Hearts player for a spot-kick that Lawrence Shankland converted. Rodgers looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
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 delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney pass for the equaliser.
Stubborn Defence
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in added time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
- Full report coming soon.
