Hearts Push 8 Points in Front at Top Following Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats Celtic

History wasn't made at Tynecastle, since it's far too early for such achievements. This game highlighted is that the Edinburgh club possess a real credible shot of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year dominance by two. That advantage stands at eight points for the maroon side over the visitors, whom they easily dispatched. The challenge is now for others.

Decisive Period in the After the Break

A crucial three-minute spell made the difference, following a tight first half that was evenly matched. What was so notable after they extended their advantage was how comfortable the remainder of the game was for the hosts. Alexandros Kyziridis scored Hearts’ second, drifting inside before thumping a right-footed shot past the static Kasper Schmeichel. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender fouling the Hearts player for a spot-kick that the captain converted. The Celtic manager cut such a disconsolate figure; challenges abound for him.

The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.

Hoops' Reaction

The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, turned the ball into his own net due to confusion when trying to remove a delivery from Shankland. Celtic edged their way back into the game, leader Callum McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney cutback for the equaliser.

Hearts' Defensive Resilience

The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which deflected off Magnússon. Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the game concluded. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the buzz.

• Complete analysis coming soon.