The Tynecastle side Move Eight Points Ahead in Front at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Defeats The Glasgow Giants
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such landmarks. What this match did emphasise is that the Edinburgh club possess a real strong chance of ending Scottish football's 40-year dominance by two. That advantage stands at eight points for the maroon side over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Key Moments in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was evenly matched. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the home side. Kyziridis 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, the Celtic defender upending Braga for a spot-kick that Shankland tucked away. The Celtic manager cut such a disconsolate figure; challenges abound for him.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from an early setback. The defender, who had a difficult day, turned the ball into his own net due to confusion when trying to remove a Shankland cross. They gradually fought back into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. Hearts were otherwise untroubled as the game concluded. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. One cannot overlook the buzz.
- Complete analysis coming soon.