Hearts Move Eight Points in Front at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, with it being far too early for such landmarks. What this match did emphasise is that the Edinburgh club possess a real strong chance of ending Scottish football's four decade-long title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts 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, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the home side. The Greek winger doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the stationary the goalkeeper. More joy followed in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Cláudio Braga for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. Rodgers looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. 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, the captain Callum McGregor, turning home a Tierney pull-back for level terms.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in added time. The hosts faced little else as the game concluded. “We shall not be moved” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. It is becoming increasingly difficult the buzz.
- Complete analysis coming soon.
