The Tynecastle side Move Eight Points Clear at Top Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off The Glasgow Giants
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, since it's far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Hearts have a genuine serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long dominance by two. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over the visitors, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.
Key Moments in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes made the difference, following a tight first half 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 hosts. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, cutting in from the left before blasting a strike past the motionless the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, Murray bringing down Cláudio Braga for a foul that Shankland converted. The Celtic manager looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. The defender, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to confusion when trying to remove a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, the captain McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney pull-back for level terms.
Stubborn Defence
The keeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which deflected off Magnússon. Halkett blocked a Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the ground. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report will be available.
