Hearts Extend Eight Points Clear Clear at Top Following Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle Park, as it's far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real serious opportunity of breaking Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. They now lead by eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they decisively beat. Try to chase them down.
Turning Point in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase were key, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. What was so notable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the home side. Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the static the Celtic keeper. More joy followed in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Braga for a spot-kick that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. The defender, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to haste when trying to clear a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Solid Backline
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett blocked a Yamada attempt in added time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
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