The Tynecastle side Extend 8 Points Clear in Front at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off The Hoops
We did not witness at Tynecastle, as it's far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long title duopoly. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. The challenge is now for others.
Turning Point in the Second Half
Three second-half minutes proved decisive, following a tight first half that was fiercely fought. The striking aspect 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, the Celtic defender bringing down Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland converted. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from Hearts’ rapid start. The defender, who struggled throughout, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to clear a Shankland cross. They gradually fought back into the game, the captain McGregor, finishing a Tierney pull-back for level terms.
Stubborn Defence
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett blocked a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We shall not be moved” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report will be available.
