Hearts 2 Rangers 1
WILD horses clearly aren’t going to drag Derek McInnes to the place so many would like to see him occupy.
As far as Hearts’ title credentials are concerned, we all know by now how his prepared script reads; His team are only in a battle with themselves. It’s week-by-week improvement he’s seeking. He wants them to be addicted to winning. And so on and so forth.
You can well understand the Tynecastle manager repeatedly swatting away every delivery with a straight bat. What’s honestly to be gained by throwing banana skins in your own path? But do we really need his affirmation to grasp this situation? Surely, we now all know the score.
One game shy of the midway point in this fascinating campaign, all you need to realise that this extraordinary feat is very much on the cards is a pair of working eyes in your head.
McInnes’ men have now lost just once in 18 league matches. That’s title winning form any year. With Celtic and Rangers so deeply unconvincing, there’s a perfect storm brewing in Scottish football.
Oisin McEntee celebrates with Hearts goal hero Stuart Findlay at full-time
Hearts manager Derek McInnes salutes the Tynecastle fans at full-time
Hearts supporters don’t need any other reasons to believe this could happen, but this deserved win over Rangers, which extended the gap to the Ibrox men to 12 points, provided yet another.
For the first time since 1959-60, the Tynecastle men have beaten both halves of the Old Firm home and away in a league season. That was the last occasion the Scottish title was in their hands.
Hearts now have the form, the players and the manager to repeat that feat in 2026. There is every chance that we are about to see an extraordinary chapter in sporting history written.
This was a seismic win for McInnes and his players. They weathered an early storm then struck twice in quick succession before the interval through Stuart Findlay and Lawrence Shankland.
They were entirely comfortable defending their lead against an insipid Rangers side in the second half. Youssef Chermiti’s consolation was almost the final kick of the match.
This proved to be a reminder of the scale of the job facing Danny Rohl at Ibrox.
The German deserved credit for being unbeaten in eight league matches, but this was a wake-up call.
A bright start gave way to a ragged display which lacked penetration and authority. There’s been an improvement of sorts in the Premiership on Rohl’s watch. Yet there’s a ceiling to what can be achieved with a group with such modest ability.
Hearts defender Findlay rises to head home the opening goal against Rangers
Rangers boss Rohl tasted defeat in the Premiership for the first time since his appointment
Despite the narrow scoreline, Rangers were second best for too long in the game. They could have no complaints about suffering a first defeat on the road in the league in this calendar year.
Too many of their main players were again found wanting. Too few looked like they believed once they went behind.
Rohl will be dismayed that his side failed to build on their promising early endeavours.
Manny Fernandez thought he’d claimed the opener inside 10 minutes when he rose to glance home James Tavernier’s corner.
The goal would have stood had Bojan Miovski resisted the temptation to graze the ball with his studs as it crossed the line while standing in an offside position.
Hearts woke up. Frankie Kent released Alexandros Kyziridis. The Greek darted infield away from his marker and curled a shot just wide of Jack Butland’s post.
For half an hour, though, the brighter team in every respect was the one clad head to toe in orange.
Nico Raskin ought to have drawn first blood. Tavernier won and took a free-kick on the right side, 25 yards from goal. The Belgian beat Alexander Schwolow to the ball only to send his header wide.
Released by Dujon Sterling, Mikey Moore rode two tackles and saw his deflected strike parried by the keeper.
At the midway point of the first period, Hearts were struggling to get their danger men onto the game. Rangers were giving little away.
Rangers players look dejected at full-time after their 2-1 loss at Tynecastle
There was belated encouragement for McInnes when Shankland freed up Kyziridis. The winger sped away from Fernandez. While his strike went beyond the far post, it roused his team-mates and the home supporters.
After a sluggish start, those in maroon were now up on the game, winning the tackles that they just weren’t making in the early exchanges.
They began to win territory and force errors. When the opener came on 38 minutes, it was not ill-deserved.
Stemming from a Jack Butland error, Kyziridis and Claudio Braga worked a short corner. The former delivered a cross of pace and menace. Findlay extended his neck and sent the ball flashing into the net just inside the post. What a player he’s been for Hearts this season.
Four minutes later, Hearts growing dominance brought the reward of a second goal.
Braga’s lay-off to Shankland looked marginally too heavy. Having ghosted in behind, the angle looked far too tight for the skipper to even think about shooting.
Without a moment’s hesitation, though, he drilled the ball towards goal with his right foot. Butland may well have been taken by surprise, but that was no excuse. He should have kept it with his feet out all day long.
Lawrence Shankland is mobbed by team-mates after doubling Hearts lead over Rangers
Rohl had to do something. Perhaps replacing Mohamed Diomande with Chermiti at the break was not what the visiting fans would have had in mind.
Another goal for Hearts would have killed the contest. So often the star man this season, Braga frustrated the home supporters when he smashed a decent chance wide of the target then failed to release the ball despite there being two team-mates in better positions.
The hour mark brought up a rarity this season – Shankland missing a sitter. Miovski’s poor pass allowed Kyziridis to run at the visiting defence. His cut-back invited Shankland to bury the change. Instead, the ball trickled wide.
Kyziridis was himself then denied by a solid black from Fernandez, who did well to stay on his feet.
Rangers began to huff and puff. Connor Barron’s tame effort from a promising position added to Rohl’s frustrations.
Butland did at least win his next battle with Shankland, tipping at the forward’s effort after Braga had played him in. The keeper also prevented Kent from heading home at a corner although he didn’t appear to know too much about it.
Rohl had no option but to gamble further. Thelo Aasgaard, Danilo and Djeidi Gassama were all pitched in. It all got rather desperate.
The visitors did get on the score sheet when Chermiti chased down a long punt and drilled beyond Schwolow but by that point most of their fans were already on the road home. Their side has got some chasing to do.
HEARTS (4-2-3-1): Schwolow 8; Steinwender 7.5, Kent 7.5, Findlay 7.5, Kingsley 7 (McCart 88); Devlin 7.5, McEntee 7; Kyziridis 7 (Kerjota 88) Magnusson 8 (Baningime 82), Braga 7 (Forrest 82); Shankland 7 (Kabangu 90). Booked: McEntee, Baningime. Manager: Derek McInnes 8.
RANGERS (3-4-2-1): Butland 5; Tavernier 5 (Gassama 63), Sterling 6 (Nsiala 81), Fernandez 6; Aarons 6.5, Barron 5 (Aasgaard 74) Raskin 6, Meghoma 6; Moore 5, Diomande 5 (Chermiti 45); Miovski 5 (Danilo 74). Booked: Moore. Manager: Danny Rohl 5. Referee: Nick Walsh 7. Attendance: 18,829.
