Hearts Extend Eight Points Ahead Clear at the Summit After Shankland's Penalty Kick Defeats The Glasgow Giants
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, with it being far too early for such achievements. What this match did emphasise is that Hearts possess a real strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year stranglehold. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase were key, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. It was remarkable after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the home side. Alexandros Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the motionless Kasper Schmeichel. Delight increased in the stands, Dane Murray upending the Hearts player for a penalty that Shankland converted. The Celtic manager appeared frustrated; challenges abound for him.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Dane Murray, who had a difficult day, turned the ball into his own net due to haste when trying to clear a delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader McGregor, scoring a Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at the ground. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
- Detailed coverage to follow.
