The Jambos Move Eight Points Clear at the Pinnacle After Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine credible shot of breaking Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for Hearts over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Turning Point in the Second Half
Three second-half minutes proved decisive, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. What was so notable after they extended their advantage was how untroubled the closing stages of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, moving infield before blasting a strike past the static Kasper Schmeichel. More joy followed in the stands, Murray bringing down Cláudio Braga for a spot-kick that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; his problems are mounting.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Dane Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to remove a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, turning home a Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The keeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Halkett blocked a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the clock ticked down. “We shall not be moved” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. One cannot overlook the excitement.
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