Hearts Extend Lead at Scottish Premiership Summit with Victory Over Celtic
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – Hearts surged eight points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table after a 2-0 victory over Celtic at Tynecastle Park on Sunday. A penalty converted by Liam Shankland proved the decisive moment in a match where Hearts exposed vulnerabilities in the Celtic defense.
The breakthrough came courtesy of Alexandros Kyziridis,a left winger who consistently cut infield onto his right foot – a tactic Celtic failed to contain. Kyziridis capitalized, firing a low shot past Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to open the scoring.
Hearts further solidified their advantage when Claudio Braga drew a foul from Murray, allowing Shankland to extend their lead from the penalty spot. Despite a late possibility for Hearts’ record signing, Brazilian midfielder Ageu, to add a fourth, the score remained 2-0.
Celtic mounted sporadic attacks but lacked the conviction to threaten a comeback. The result leaves manager Brendan Rodgers searching for solutions as Hearts maintain a commanding position in the league.
The victory marks a significant moment in the Scottish Premiership title race, injecting a new level of drama into the competition. Elsewhere in the league on Sunday:
* Rangers defeated Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox, with Derek Cornelius scoring his first goal for the club. Despite a Kilmarnock equalizer from George Stanger following a Jack Butland error, Rangers secured the win with goals from Danilo and Youssef Chermiti.
* Hibernian continued their strong form with a 2-1 victory at Aberdeen,thanks to goals from Thibault Klidje and Elie Youan,despite a late goal from Marko Lazetic.
* motherwell secured a dramatic 2-1 win at Livingston, with Elijah Just scoring his first goal for the club in stoppage time.
* Dundee United overcame 10-man St Mirren 3-1, with a controversial penalty and a late goal sealing the victory.
* Falkirk defeated Dundee 2-1, with a late winner from Connor Allan.
This result underscores Hearts’ impressive start to the season and raises questions about Celtic’s current form as the title race intensifies.
