Hearts Move 8 Points Clear Ahead at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Hearts are at least in with serious opportunity of breaking Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the Second Half
Three second-half minutes were key, after an opening period that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the closing stages of the game was for the home side. Kyziridis netted the second goal, moving infield before thumping a right-footed shot past the motionless the Celtic keeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender upending Cláudio Braga for a foul that Shankland converted. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic bounced back from Hearts’ rapid start. The defender, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to deal with a Shankland cross. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader McGregor, finishing a Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which touched Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in added time. They comfortably saw out the game as the game concluded. “We remain resolute” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
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