Hearts Extend Eight Points in Front at the Summit Following Shankland's Penalty Sees Off The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, as it's far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Hearts have a genuine credible shot of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year dominance by two. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the Latter Period
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, following a tight first half that was evenly matched. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the remainder of the game was for the hosts. The Greek winger netted the second goal, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort past the stationary Kasper Schmeichel. More joy followed in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Cláudio Braga for a spot-kick that Shankland tucked away. 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.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from an early setback. The defender, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The keeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in stoppage time. The hosts faced little else as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. One cannot overlook the noise.
- Complete analysis to follow.