The Tynecastle side Push Eight Points Clear in Front at the Summit Following Shankland's Spot-Kick Overcomes The Glasgow Giants
History wasn't made at their home ground, as it's far too early for such milestones. What this match did emphasise is that the Edinburgh club possess a real strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over their rivals, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Try to chase them down.
Turning Point in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, following a tight first half that was fiercely fought. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how comfortable the remainder of the game was for the home side. Kyziridis doubled the lead, drifting inside before thumping a right-footed shot past the static the Celtic keeper. More joy followed in the stands, Murray bringing down Cláudio Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. Rodgers appeared frustrated; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
Celtic's Response
Celtic bounced back from Hearts’ rapid start. Murray, who had a difficult day, turned the ball into his own net due to haste when trying to clear a delivery from Shankland. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain McGregor, scoring a Tierney cutback for the equaliser.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Complete analysis coming soon.
