The Tynecastle side Extend 8 Points Clear in Front at the Summit After Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes The Hoops
History wasn't made at Tynecastle, as it's far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine serious opportunity of breaking Scottish football's long-standing stranglehold. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over the visitors, whom they decisively beat. The challenge is now for others.
Key Moments in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, after an opening period that was fiercely fought. It was remarkable after they extended their advantage was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the home side. Alexandros Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the static the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, Murray bringing down Cláudio Braga for a foul that Shankland tucked away. The Celtic manager looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
Celtic's Response
Celtic bounced back from the hosts' quick opening. The defender, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to remove a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney cutback for the equaliser.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. The hosts faced little else as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the noise.
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