The Jambos Move Eight Points Clear Clear at the Summit Following Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes The Hoops
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real serious opportunity of breaking Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. Make that an eight-point lead for the maroon side over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Turning Point in the Second Half
A crucial three-minute spell were key, following a tight first half that was evenly matched. What was so notable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how comfortable the remainder of the game was for the home side. Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort past the static the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender fouling Braga for a foul that the captain converted. Brendan Rodgers appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from an early setback. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, scored an own goal due to haste when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader Callum McGregor, turning home a Tierney pull-back for the equaliser.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in added time. The hosts faced little else as the minutes passed. “We shall not be moved” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Detailed coverage coming soon.
