Hearts Push 8 Points Clear in Front at Top After Shankland's Penalty Sees Off The Hoops
We did not witness at their home ground, as it's far too early for such landmarks. What this match did emphasise is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine strong chance of ending Scottish football's 40-year stranglehold. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Turning Point in the After the Break
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was evenly matched. What was so notable after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the home side. The Greek winger scored Hearts’ second, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the stationary the Celtic keeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Murray fouling the Hearts player for a spot-kick that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. The Celtic manager appeared frustrated; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against the opposition.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Dane Murray, who struggled throughout, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to remove a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney cutback for the equaliser.
Stubborn Defence
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the game concluded. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
- Detailed coverage to follow.
