The Jambos Push 8 Points Ahead Ahead at the Summit After Shankland's Penalty Sees Off The Glasgow Giants
History wasn't made at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such milestones. What this match did emphasise is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with strong chance of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the team over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. What was so notable after they extended their advantage was how untroubled the rest of the game was for the hosts. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, drifting inside before blasting a strike past the static the goalkeeper. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Cláudio Braga for a spot-kick that the captain converted. Brendan Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to remove a delivery from Shankland. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader McGregor, turning home a Tierney cutback for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. The hosts faced little else as the game concluded. “We stand firm” has become the popular anthem at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report to follow.
