The Tynecastle side Extend Eight Points Clear in Front at the Summit Following Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off The Glasgow Giants
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, since it's far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's four decade-long dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they decisively beat. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
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 home side. Kyziridis netted the second goal, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort past the stationary the Celtic keeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender upending Braga for a foul that Lawrence Shankland converted. The Celtic manager appeared frustrated; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
The away side responded positively from an early setback. Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, scored an own goal due to confusion when trying to clear a delivery from Shankland. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader Callum McGregor, turning home a Tierney cutback for level terms.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had denied from Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the popular anthem at the stadium. One cannot overlook the excitement.
- Complete analysis coming soon.
