Dundee went down to a 1-0 defeat at home to Hearts today. The Dark Blues were the better team between both penalty areas but couldn’t break down the Jam Tarts’ defence despite some ferocious pressure. A fine finish by Claudio Braga gave Hearts the lead against the run of play in the middle of the first half. Dundee’s response was spirited, and Hearts’ goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow was sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity at the end of the first half. His replacement, Craig Gordon, proved to be the Hearts match-winning hero with a sensational save in the last minute of added time.
The only change to the Dee’s starting eleven was Fin Robertson replacing Yan Dhanda, who was not allowed to play against his parent club.
Dundee did all the impressive attacking in the opening quarter of an hour and came close to taking the lead in the second minute. Tony Yogane beat Jordi Altana and sent over a dangerous cross for Billy Koumetio, whose powerful header was heading for the top corner, but Alexander Scholow pulled off a fine save.
Ethan Hamilton was the dominant figure in midfield and Dundee always looked dangerous when they got the ball out to Yogane and Cameron Congreve.
The Dark Blues were biting into their tackles and looked the better side against a Hearts team who were surprisingly passive.
Surprisingly, it was Hearts who opened the scoring from a spot of opportunism. Cameron Devlin took a free quick quickly giving Lawrence Shankland time to play a pass forward to Claudio Braga. The Portuguese forward took a poor touch but had a spot of luck when the ball broke off his heel. There was nothing lucky about the superb finish. BRAGA drilled a low shot inside Jon McCracken’s right-hand post from 20 yards.
Dundee responded well to the setback and continued to play well. Yogane and Congreve were always a threat on the wings with Hearts doubling up on both of them.
Yogane showed lovely skill to get away from Tomas Magnusson who wrestled him to the ground to stop him running into the penalty area. Surprisingly the referee declined to book him.
Any suspicion that the officials might be charitable towards Hearts was dispelled in first half added time. Ash Hay headed on a long ball to send Yogane clear. Schwolow brought down the Dee winger a yard outside the penalty area as Yogane tried to go round him only for the assistant referee to flag for offside. However, a VAR review established that Yogane was onside and Scholow was therefore red carded for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.
Hearts took Braga off and sent on substitute keeper Craig Gordon. The Scottish international veteran had to save well with his first touch, pushing away Congreve’s fierce effort from the free kick.
At half time Hearts replaced right back Jordi Altana with Michael Steinwender, which was hardly a surprise after Hearts’ new signing from the Netherlands had been terrorised by Yogane throughout the first half.
The second half started with Dundee on the attack as Hearts sat back and that remained the pattern for the rest of the game.
Despite doing all the attacking and sending a succession of crosses into the penalty area Dundee couldn’t create enough good chances. Without any need to chase further goals Hearts always had bodies available to keep doubling up on the Dee wide players, even putting three on Yogane at times.
When Dundee sent in a cross the Hearts central defence, and Craig Gordon, were invariably flawless.
Midway through the half Dundee sent on Simon Murray and Imari Samuels for Fin Robertson and Ryan Astley, who had both been booked. Drey Wright switched sides to play at right back, though he spent most of his time in the Hearts half.
An extended, patient Dee attack following a corner ended with Koumetio heading a decent chance over the bar from Luke Graham’s cross.
Dundee continued to put the Hearts defence under fierce and relentless pressure. Gordon touched over an angled shot from Drey Wright as the clock ran down.
Charlie Reilly replaced Callum Jones for the last few minutes, and the Dee’s last throw of the dice was sending Emile Acquah on for Drey Wright in added time.
That final change led to the moment of the game that will be remembered for years to come. The big striker was desperately unlucky not to be the Dee hero when he was denied by the save of the season.
Congreve crossed from the right and Acquah’s header from 10 yards was stong, downwards, and heading inside the near post. The ball was already past the keeper but somehow Gordon got across and, with his fingertips, succeeded in pushing it away as it was crossing the line.
That saved the three points for Hearts and could prove to be a huge moment in this Premiership season.
A home defeat after Dundee’s recent marvellous run of form is disappointing, but the players should certainly not be downhearted about this game. The Dark Blues played well all over the park but just couldn’t quite force the equaliser they deserved.
Apart from a possible loss of concentration when Hearts scored, the Dee defence was never in trouble. The midfield was combative and creative, with Ethan Hamilton outstanding.
Yet again Dundee’s young wide players impressed. The substitution of the man up against Tony Yogane meant this was the second game running in which an opposition defender has been hooked at half time after failing to cope with a Dee attacker. In last week’s derby it was Ash Hay who forced the same change.
When Dundee were beaten by Hearts two months ago, they went down to defeat tamely without causing the Jam Tarts any problems. Today was completely different and Hearts were hugely relieved to escape from Dens with all three points.
If Emile Acquah’s header had found the net it would have been the least the Dee deserved. The fact that it took an unbelievable save to stop Dundee saving the game against the league leaders shows the progress that has been made.
Dundee 4-1-4-1
Jon McCracken
Ryan Astley (Imari Samuels 64), Billy Koumetio, Luke Graham, Drey Wright (Emile Acquah 90+2)
Ethan Hamilton (c)
Cameron Congreve, Callum Jones (Charlie Reilly 85), Fin Robertson (Simon Murray 64), Tony Yogane
Ash Hay
Unused substitutes: Kieran O’Hara (gk), Paul Digby, Ethan Ingram, Clark Robertson, Joe Bevan.
Booked: Astley (dissent), F Robertson (foul on Devlin).
Heart of Midlothian 4-2-3-1
Schwolow
Altena (Steinwender at half time), Halkett, Findlay, McCart
Baningime, Devlin
Magnusson, Braga (Gordon 45+6), Kyziridis (Kent 70)
Shankland (Kaboré 70)
Unused subs: Forrest, Spittal, Kerjota, Kabangu, Chesnokov.
Goal: Braga (27).
Booked: none.
Sent off: Schwolow (45+3, denying Yogane a goal-scoring opportunity).
Attendance: 8,525.
Referee: Ryan Lee. Assistants: Jonathan Bell, Douglas Ross. VAR: Grant Irvine. Assistant VAR: Peter Stuart.
Report: James Christie.
