Hearts Move Eight Points Clear at the Pinnacle Following Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats The Hoops
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such achievements. This game highlighted is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real credible shot of ending Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the Latter Period
Three second-half minutes made the difference, after an opening period that was fiercely fought. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis doubled the lead, moving infield before thumping a right-footed shot past the static Kasper Schmeichel. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Dane Murray upending Cláudio Braga for a foul that Shankland converted. The Celtic manager appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
Celtic's Response
The away side responded positively from the hosts' quick opening. The defender, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to deal with a Shankland cross. Celtic edged their way back into the game, skipper McGregor, scoring a Tierney pull-back for the equaliser.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which touched Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in added time. The hosts faced little else as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at the ground. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
- Detailed coverage coming soon.
