The Tynecastle side Push Eight Points Ahead at Top Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Defeats The Hoops
History wasn't made at Tynecastle, as it's far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine credible shot of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
Three second-half minutes were key, following a tight first half that was contested closely. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the static the goalkeeper. More joy followed in the stands, Murray bringing down Braga for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland converted. The Celtic manager appeared frustrated; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Murray, who had a difficult day, turned the ball into his own net due to panic when trying to deal with a Shankland cross. The Hoops worked their way into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, scoring a Tierney cutback for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The keeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in stoppage time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
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