Hearts Extend 8 Points Clear at the Summit 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 landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Hearts possess a real strong chance of breaking Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. What was so notable after they extended their advantage was how comfortable the remainder of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis netted the second goal, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the static the Celtic keeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Murray upending Cláudio Braga for a penalty that Shankland tucked away. Brendan Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; his problems are mounting.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from Hearts’ rapid start. Dane Murray, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to confusion when trying to clear a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, the captain McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the popular anthem at the ground. It is becoming increasingly difficult the noise.
- Complete analysis to follow.
