The Jambos Push 8 Points Clear Clear at the Pinnacle After Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats The Hoops
We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. It was remarkable after they took a 3-1 lead was how untroubled the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. The Greek winger doubled the lead, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the static the goalkeeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Braga for a penalty that Shankland tucked away. The Celtic manager cut such a disconsolate figure; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Murray, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. They gradually fought back into the game, leader McGregor, finishing a Tierney pass for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the game concluded. “We shall not be moved” has become the popular anthem at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Detailed coverage to follow.
