Hearts Extend 8 Points Clear at the Pinnacle After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Sees Off The Hoops

A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle, as it's far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club possess a real strong chance of breaking Scottish football's long-standing dominance by two. They now lead by eight points for the maroon side over their rivals, whom they comfortably swatted aside. Try to chase them down.

Turning Point in the Second Half

Three second-half minutes were key, following a tight first half that was fiercely fought. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the closing stages of the game was for the hosts. Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, moving infield before blasting a strike past the stationary Kasper Schmeichel. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down Braga for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; he hardly has his troubles to seek.

The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.

Celtic's Response

Celtic had actually recovered well from Hearts’ rapid start. The defender, who endured a torrid afternoon, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to clear a delivery from Shankland. They gradually fought back into the game, skipper Callum McGregor, scoring a Tierney pass for level terms.

Stubborn Defence

The keeper Schwolow, who had denied from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in added time. The hosts faced little else as the game concluded. “We shall not be moved” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the ground. It's hard to ignore the excitement.

• Full report to follow.