Hearts Move 8 Points Ahead at Top After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes The Glasgow Giants
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, as it's far too early for such landmarks. What this match did emphasise is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing stranglehold. They now lead by eight points for Hearts over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Decisive Period in the Latter Period
Three second-half minutes were key, following a tight first half that was fiercely fought. It was remarkable after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the hosts. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the motionless the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, Dane Murray upending Cláudio Braga for a penalty that Shankland tucked away. Rodgers appeared frustrated; challenges abound for him.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Murray, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to deal with a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader McGregor, scoring a Tierney pull-back for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Craig Halkett blocked a Yamada attempt in added time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the popular anthem at the stadium. It is becoming increasingly difficult the noise.
- Complete analysis to follow.
