The Jambos Move 8 Points Ahead Ahead at Top Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Defeats Celtic
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Hearts possess a real credible shot of breaking Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the Second Half
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, after an opening period that was evenly matched. It was remarkable after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the closing stages of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before blasting a strike past the static the goalkeeper. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender fouling Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. Rodgers appeared frustrated; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
The away side responded positively from an early setback. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to clear a delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, skipper McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney pass for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which deflected off Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in stoppage time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the game concluded. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
- Complete analysis coming soon.
