Hearts Push 8 Points Clear Ahead at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Kick Defeats The Hoops

We did not witness at their home ground, with it being far too early for such landmarks. The encounter underlined is that Hearts possess a real credible shot of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. Make that an eight-point lead for the team over their rivals, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.

Key Moments in the Second Half

A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, once the initial exchanges that was contested closely. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how comfortable the rest of the game was for the hosts. Kyziridis netted the second goal, drifting inside before thumping a right-footed shot past the motionless Kasper Schmeichel. Delight increased in the stands, the Celtic defender fouling Braga for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland converted. Rodgers cut such a disconsolate figure; challenges abound for him.

Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.

The Visitors' Fightback

Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Murray, who struggled throughout, turned the ball into his own net due to haste when trying to remove a Shankland cross. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney pass for the equaliser.

Hearts' Defensive Resilience

The shot-stopper Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, blocked an Arne Engels shot which flicked off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett blocked a Yamada attempt in added time. The hosts faced little else as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. It's hard to ignore the buzz.

• Full report will be available.