Hearts Move 8 Points Ahead at Top After Shankland's Spot-Kick Sees Off Celtic
History wasn't made at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine credible shot of breaking Scottish football's four decade-long stranglehold. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they decisively beat. Try to chase them down.
Decisive Period in the After the Break
Three second-half minutes proved decisive, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the hosts. The Greek winger netted the second goal, moving infield before thumping a right-footed shot past the static the Celtic keeper. More joy followed in the stands, Murray bringing down the Hearts player for a spot-kick that Shankland slotted home. The Celtic manager appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
Hoops' Reaction
Celtic bounced back from an early setback. Dane Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to clear a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, skipper McGregor, turning home a Tierney pull-back for 1-1.
Stubborn Defence
The keeper Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out 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 clock ticked down. “We shall not be moved” has become the favoured chant at the ground. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Detailed coverage coming soon.
