The Jambos Move Eight Points Ahead 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 landmarks. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over the visitors, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Key Moments in the Second Half
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, following a tight first half that was evenly matched. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, drifting inside before thumping a right-footed shot past the stationary the goalkeeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Dane Murray fouling Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. The Celtic manager looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic had actually recovered well from the hosts' quick opening. Murray, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to remove a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney pass for level terms.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. The hosts faced little else as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report coming soon.
