The Tynecastle side Move Eight Points Clear at the Pinnacle Following Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats Celtic
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, since it's far too early for such milestones. This game highlighted is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real serious opportunity of breaking Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over the visitors, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the Latter Period
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was evenly matched. The striking aspect after they extended their advantage was how comfortable the remainder of the game was for the Tynecastle team. The Greek winger netted the second goal, drifting inside before blasting a strike past the stationary the goalkeeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Dane Murray upending Cláudio Braga for a penalty that the captain slotted home. Rodgers appeared frustrated; challenges abound for him.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against the opposition.
The Visitors' Fightback
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. The defender, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, skipper McGregor, scoring a Tierney cutback for level terms.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report to follow.
