The Tynecastle side Move Eight Points Ahead Clear at the Pinnacle Following Shankland's Spot-Kick Overcomes The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, with it being far too early for such achievements. This game highlighted is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Key Moments in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase were key, after an opening period that was contested closely. It was remarkable after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the closing stages of the game was for the hosts. The Greek winger scored Hearts’ second, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the stationary the Celtic keeper. More joy followed in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Braga for a spot-kick that the captain slotted home. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Dane Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, scored an own goal due to haste when trying to deal with a Shankland cross. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, finishing a Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Complete analysis coming soon.
