Hearts Extend Eight Points in Front at the Pinnacle Following Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off Celtic
We did not witness at their home ground, with it being far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club are at least in with strong chance of breaking Scottish football's long-standing stranglehold. They now lead by eight points for the team over the visitors, whom they easily dispatched. The challenge is now for others.
Turning Point in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes made the difference, after an opening period that was evenly matched. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. The Greek winger netted the second goal, drifting inside before firing a powerful effort past the static the goalkeeper. More joy followed in the stands, Murray upending the Hearts player for a spot-kick that the captain converted. Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against the opposition.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from the hosts' quick opening. The defender, who had a difficult day, turned the ball into his own net due to confusion when trying to remove a delivery from Shankland. They gradually fought back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, finishing a Kieran Tierney pull-back for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The keeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. The hosts faced little else as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Full report to follow.
