Hearts Extend 8 Points Clear Clear at the Summit Following Shankland's Penalty Sees Off The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, as it's far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Try to chase them down.
Key Moments in the After the Break
A crucial three-minute spell were key, following a tight first half that was contested closely. It was remarkable after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the home side. Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort past the static Kasper Schmeichel. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down the Hearts player for a penalty that Shankland tucked away. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, turned the ball into his own net due to haste when trying to remove a Shankland cross. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain McGregor, finishing a Tierney pass for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The keeper 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 the dying moments. The hosts faced little else as the clock ticked down. “We shall not be moved” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
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