Hearts Push 8 Points in Front at the Pinnacle After Shankland's Penalty Kick Defeats Celtic

History wasn't made at Tynecastle Park, since it's far too early for such achievements. What this match did emphasise is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real serious opportunity of breaking Scottish football's long-standing stranglehold. That advantage stands at eight points for the maroon side over the visitors, whom they decisively beat. Try to chase them down.

Decisive Period in the Latter Period

Three second-half minutes made the difference, after an opening period that was evenly matched. The striking aspect after they extended their advantage was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the home side. The Greek winger scored Hearts’ second, moving infield before thumping a right-footed shot past the static Kasper Schmeichel. Delight increased in the stands, Murray bringing down the Hearts player for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland converted. Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.

Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) gives Hearts the lead against the opposition.

The Visitors' Fightback

The away side responded positively from an early setback. Dane Murray, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to haste when trying to deal with a ball into the box. They gradually fought back into the game, the captain McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney cutback for level terms.

Hearts' Defensive Resilience

The keeper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the noise.

• Full report coming soon.