The Jambos Extend 8 Points Clear at Top After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Sees Off The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, with it being far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over their rivals, whom they decisively beat. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the Latter Period
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, once the initial exchanges that was evenly matched. It was remarkable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how untroubled the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Kyziridis doubled the lead, drifting inside before blasting a strike past the stationary the goalkeeper. More joy followed in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Braga for a foul that the captain converted. The Celtic manager looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from Hearts’ rapid start. Dane Murray, who struggled throughout, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to clear a ball into the box. They gradually fought back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, scoring a Tierney pass for level terms.
Solid Backline
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. They comfortably saw out the game as the game concluded. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the ground. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Complete analysis to follow.
