The Jambos Push 8 Points Clear at the Summit After Shankland's Penalty Sees Off Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real strong chance of ending Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Try to chase them down.
Turning Point in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. What was so notable after they extended their advantage was how comfortable the remainder of the game was for the hosts. The Greek winger scored Hearts’ second, cutting in from the left before blasting a strike past the static the goalkeeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Murray bringing down the Hearts player for a spot-kick that Shankland slotted home. The Celtic manager looked dejected; challenges abound for him.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Dane Murray, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader McGregor, finishing a Tierney pass for the equaliser.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. The hosts faced little else as the game concluded. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. One cannot overlook the excitement.
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