The Tynecastle side Extend 8 Points Ahead at the Summit Following Shankland's Penalty Defeats The Hoops
We did not witness at their home ground, with it being far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Hearts are at least in with serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over the visitors, whom they decisively beat. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the Latter Period
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, following a tight first half that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis netted the second goal, drifting inside before thumping a right-footed shot past the static Kasper Schmeichel. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Cláudio Braga for a spot-kick that Shankland converted. Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; his problems are mounting.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic had actually recovered well from Hearts’ rapid start. The defender, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to haste when trying to remove a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which deflected off Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. The hosts faced little else as the game concluded. “We shall not be moved” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. One cannot overlook the buzz.
- Full report coming soon.
