The Jambos Move Eight Points Clear in Front at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Sees Off The Glasgow Giants
We did not witness at their home ground, with it being far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine credible shot of disrupting 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.
Key Moments in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes were key, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how untroubled the rest of the game was for the home side. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead, moving infield before blasting a strike past the static Kasper Schmeichel. More joy followed in the stands, Murray bringing down Cláudio Braga for a penalty that the captain tucked away. The Celtic manager looked dejected; he hardly has his troubles to seek.
Supporters began celebrating after Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against the opposition.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic had actually recovered well from Hearts’ rapid start. Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to deal with a delivery from Shankland. They gradually fought back into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, scoring a Tierney pull-back for level terms.
Stubborn Defence
The keeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Arne Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the ground. It's hard to ignore the excitement.
- Detailed coverage coming soon.
