The Jambos Move 8 Points Ahead Ahead at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Overcomes Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle, with it being far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for the maroon side over the visitors, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, following a tight first half that was fiercely fought. 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 scored Hearts’ second, moving infield before thumping a right-footed shot past the motionless Kasper Schmeichel. More joy followed in the stands, Dane Murray bringing down Braga for a foul that Shankland slotted home. Rodgers looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
Supporters began celebrating after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against the opposition.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic bounced back from the hosts' quick opening. Murray, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to panic when trying to deal with a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney pull-back for level terms.
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 touched Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We shall not be moved” has become the popular anthem at the ground. It is becoming increasingly difficult the noise.
- Detailed coverage to follow.
