The Jambos Push 8 Points Clear at Top Following Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle Park, since it's far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian 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 comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, following a tight first half that was contested closely. It was remarkable after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the hosts. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, moving infield before blasting a strike past the static the goalkeeper. More joy followed in the stands, Murray fouling Cláudio Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. The defender, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to haste when trying to remove a delivery from Shankland. They gradually fought back into the game, leader McGregor, finishing a Tierney cutback for the equaliser.
Stubborn Defence
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We shall not be moved” has become the popular anthem at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
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