The Jambos Move Eight Points Ahead Ahead at the Pinnacle Following Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats The Hoops
History wasn't made at Tynecastle Park, since it's far too early for such achievements. What this match did emphasise is that Hearts possess a real serious opportunity of ending Scottish football's 40-year stranglehold. Make that an eight-point lead for Hearts over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, after an opening period that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the hosts. Kyziridis doubled the lead, cutting in from the left before thumping a right-footed shot past the stationary the Celtic keeper. More joy followed in the stands, Murray fouling the Hearts player for a foul that Lawrence Shankland converted. Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
The Visitors' Fightback
The away side responded positively from an early setback. The defender, who had a difficult day, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to clear a ball into the box. They gradually fought back into the game, the captain McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The keeper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which deflected off Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. One cannot overlook the noise.
- Complete analysis to follow.
