Hearts Extend Eight Points Clear at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes The Hoops
We did not witness at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Hearts have a genuine credible shot of ending Scottish football's long-standing stranglehold. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase were key, once the initial exchanges that was evenly matched. It was remarkable after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the home side. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead, moving infield before thumping a right-footed shot past the stationary Kasper Schmeichel. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Dane Murray bringing down the Hearts player for a spot-kick that Shankland converted. Rodgers appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney pull-back for level terms.
Solid Backline
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had denied from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the game concluded. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. One cannot overlook the noise.
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