The Tynecastle side Move Eight Points in Front at the Pinnacle Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes Celtic
History wasn't made at their home ground, since it's far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine strong chance of breaking 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. The challenge is now for others.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, following a tight first half that was fiercely fought. It was remarkable after they extended their advantage was how comfortable the closing stages of the game was for the hosts. Kyziridis doubled the lead, moving infield before blasting a strike past the motionless the Celtic keeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, Murray upending Cláudio Braga for a penalty that the captain tucked away. The Celtic manager looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Dane Murray, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to clear a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Solid Backline
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. They comfortably saw out the game as the game concluded. “We remain resolute” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
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