Hearts Push Eight Points Clear Ahead at Top Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Sees Off Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle, with it being far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine strong chance of ending Scottish football's long-standing stranglehold. That advantage stands at eight points for the maroon side over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Key Moments in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase were key, after an opening period that was evenly matched. The striking aspect after they extended their advantage was how untroubled the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. The Greek winger netted the second goal, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort past the stationary Kasper Schmeichel. Delight increased in the stands, Dane Murray fouling Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. Rodgers looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic bounced back from an early setback. Dane Murray, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to haste when trying to deal with a Shankland cross. They gradually fought back into the game, the captain McGregor, scoring a Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. One cannot overlook the buzz.
- Detailed coverage to follow.
