Hearts Extend 8 Points Clear Ahead at the Pinnacle After Shankland's Penalty Defeats The Glasgow Giants
We did not witness at Tynecastle, with it being far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Hearts have a genuine credible shot of ending Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.
Key Moments in the After the Break
A brief but pivotal phase were key, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they extended their advantage was how comfortable the closing stages of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, drifting inside before blasting a strike past the static Kasper Schmeichel. Delight increased in the stands, Dane Murray bringing down Braga for a foul that Shankland converted. The Celtic manager looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
The crowd erupted after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from the hosts' quick opening. The defender, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to remove a delivery from Shankland. They gradually fought back into the game, the captain McGregor, finishing a Tierney cutback for the equaliser.
Solid Backline
The shot-stopper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett blocked a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the ground. One cannot overlook the excitement.
- Full report to follow.