The Tynecastle side Push 8 Points Ahead at the Pinnacle After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Overcomes The Hoops
History wasn't made at their home ground, with it being 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. They now lead by eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.
Decisive Period in the Second Half
A brief but pivotal phase were key, following a tight first half that was fiercely fought. The striking aspect after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the closing stages of the game was for the hosts. The Greek winger doubled the lead, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the static the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, Murray bringing down Braga for a spot-kick that Shankland tucked away. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against the opposition.
The Visitors' Fightback
The away side responded positively from an early setback. Murray, who struggled throughout, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader Callum McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which touched Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the game concluded. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the ground. It is becoming increasingly difficult the buzz.
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