The Tynecastle side Move 8 Points Ahead Clear at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off Celtic
History wasn't made at their home ground, with it being far too early for such landmarks. This game highlighted is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for the maroon side over their rivals, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, following a tight first half that was contested closely. It was remarkable after they extended their advantage was how untroubled the remainder of the game was for the home side. Kyziridis doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before blasting a strike past the motionless the Celtic keeper. More joy followed in the stands, Dane Murray bringing down Braga for a spot-kick that Shankland slotted home. Rodgers looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
The away side responded positively from the hosts' quick opening. Murray, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. They gradually fought back into the game, leader McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney cutback for level terms.
Stubborn Defence
The keeper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in added time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the minutes passed. “We remain resolute” has become the popular anthem at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report coming soon.
