The Jambos Extend 8 Points Ahead in Front at the Summit After Shankland's Penalty Overcomes The Glasgow Giants
We did not witness at Tynecastle, as it's far too early for such milestones. What this match did emphasise is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine credible shot of ending Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Catch them if you can.
Turning Point in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was evenly matched. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the remainder of the game was for the home side. Kyziridis doubled the lead, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the stationary Kasper Schmeichel. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender upending Cláudio Braga for a foul that Shankland slotted home. Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.
Supporters began celebrating after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against the opposition.
Celtic's Response
The away side responded positively from an early setback. Murray, who had a difficult day, turned the ball into his own net due to panic when trying to clear a delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, scoring a Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the noise.
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