The Tynecastle side Push Eight Points Ahead Clear at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Overcomes The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle Park, since it's far too early for such milestones. This game highlighted is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Turning Point in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was evenly matched. It was remarkable after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the home side. Kyziridis netted the second goal, moving infield before blasting a strike past the static the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender upending Braga for a foul that Shankland tucked away. Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic bounced back from the hosts' quick opening. Dane Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to remove a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, turning home a Tierney pass for 1-1.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which touched Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. It is becoming increasingly difficult the buzz.
- Detailed coverage to follow.
