Hearts Move 8 Points Clear in Front at the Pinnacle After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Defeats The Glasgow Giants
A historic moment didn't occur at their home ground, with it being far too early for such milestones. What this match did emphasise is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine serious opportunity of ending Scottish football's 40-year dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they decisively beat. The challenge is now for others.
Turning Point in the Latter Period
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, after an opening period that was evenly matched. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how stress-free the closing stages of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead, drifting inside before blasting a strike past the motionless the goalkeeper. More joy followed in the stands, Murray fouling Cláudio Braga for a penalty that the captain converted. Rodgers appeared frustrated; challenges abound for him.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from Hearts’ rapid start. Murray, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to remove a delivery from Shankland. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The Hearts goalkeeper 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 Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
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