Hearts Push 8 Points in Front at Top Following Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Sees Off The Glasgow Giants
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such landmarks. This game highlighted is that Hearts have a genuine credible shot of ending Scottish football's long-standing stranglehold. Make that an eight-point lead for the team over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, after an opening period that was evenly matched. It was remarkable after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the Tynecastle team. The Greek winger netted the second goal, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the static the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, Murray bringing down Braga for a foul that Shankland tucked away. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against the opposition.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic bounced back from the hosts' quick opening. Dane Murray, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to deal with a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, the captain McGregor, finishing a Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Arne Engels shot which flicked off TĂłmas MagnĂșsson. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. The hosts faced little else as the clock ticked down. âWe stand firmâ has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the buzz.
- Complete analysis will be available.
