Hearts Push 8 Points in Front at the Pinnacle Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Defeats The Glasgow Giants
History wasn't made at their home ground, since it's far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with strong chance of ending Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. Make that an eight-point lead for the team over Celtic, whom they easily dispatched. The challenge is now for others.
Key Moments in the Latter Period
Three second-half minutes proved decisive, after an opening period that was fiercely fought. The striking aspect after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the hosts. The Greek winger scored Hearts’ second, moving infield before blasting a strike past the motionless the Celtic keeper. Delight increased in the stands, Dane Murray bringing down Cláudio Braga for a penalty that the captain tucked away. The Celtic manager looked dejected; his problems are mounting.
The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against the opposition.
Hoops' Reaction
The away side responded positively from an early setback. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, turned the ball into his own net due to haste when trying to deal with a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney pass for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. The hosts faced little else as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the popular anthem at the stadium. One cannot overlook the buzz.
- Detailed coverage to follow.