The Jambos Move 8 Points Ahead Clear at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Sees Off The Glasgow Giants
A historic moment didn't occur at their home ground, with it being far too early for such achievements. What this match did emphasise is that the Edinburgh club possess a real credible shot of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. Make that an eight-point lead for the team over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, after an opening period that was fiercely fought. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how untroubled the remainder of the game was for the hosts. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the motionless the goalkeeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender upending the Hearts player for a penalty that the captain converted. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, scored an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, scoring a Tierney pass for level terms.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the game concluded. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the ground. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Complete analysis coming soon.
