The Jambos Extend 8 Points Clear Clear at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Overcomes Celtic
History wasn't made at their home ground, with it being far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for Hearts over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Turning Point in the Second Half
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, after an opening period that was fiercely fought. It was remarkable after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the hosts. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort past the static the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, Dane Murray fouling the Hearts player for a foul that the captain converted. Brendan Rodgers appeared frustrated; challenges abound for him.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
Celtic's Response
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Murray, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to deal with a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney pass for level terms.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Arne Engels shot which deflected off Magnússon. Craig Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the game concluded. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at the ground. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
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