The Tynecastle side Extend Eight Points Ahead in Front at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such achievements. What this match did emphasise is that Hearts possess a real strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for the team over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Turning Point in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, after an opening period that was contested closely. It was remarkable after they extended their advantage was how comfortable the remainder of the game was for the hosts. Kyziridis doubled the lead, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the motionless Kasper Schmeichel. More joy followed in the stands, the Celtic defender fouling the Hearts player for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. The Celtic manager cut such a disconsolate figure; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
Celtic bounced back from Heartsβ rapid start. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, turned the ball into his own net due to panic when trying to remove a Shankland cross. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney pass for the equaliser.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off TΓ³mas MagnΓΊsson. Craig Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the clock ticked down. βWe shall not be movedβ has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report coming soon.
