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Boyd penalty seals points for Rangers |
Hearts couldn't quite kick their Euro hangover at Tynecastle and despite a rallying performance the Jambos went down 2-1 to champions Rangers, after a late Kris Boyd penalty saw them secure all three points.
Csaba Laszlo made two changes to the side that lost at Tannadice on Monday night, with Janos Balogh and Ian Black replacing Marian Kello and the suspended Michael Stewart.
Both teams had chances early on and Hearts best chance came from Obua's cross into the box which found Suso at the back post but the little Spaniard was thwarted by Papac. Hearts looked lively and you could attribute most of that to Ian Black's tenacity in midfield.
The game turned on it's head on 13 minutes when Kevin Thomson's late sliding challenge on Ian Black earned the Rangers midfielder his marching orders.
Suso nearly put the Jambos ahead on 25 minutes after Bougherra had tried to usher the ball out of play but was held up by David Witteveen. The Spaniard nicked the ball away and looped his shot in on goal, which rattled off the crossbar.
Hearts were 1-0 up after half an hour when a lone run from David Witteveen saw the Austrian bag his first goal for the Jambos. His shot was low and McGregor seemed to have it covered but the Rangers keeper could only look on as the ball trickled from his grasp into the back of the net.
The home side had grown in confidence throughout the match and getting their noses in front was a huge weight off their shoulders. Rangers continued to pressure but Jose Goncalves in particular seemed to have their match and had a solid first half performance.
Hearts reached the same tempo as the first half quickly in the second. Rangers introduced Steven Smith into the action and in return they began to stretch the Gorgie outfit more than they had in the opening 45 minutes.
Goncalves looked to have got on the score sheet with a sublime looping header from a Suso corner, McGregor this time though was on hand to push the ball onto the bar and eventually Rangers averted the danger.
Hearts pushed forward and Witteveen had the chance to play in Gary Glen but didn't make the pass which surely would have seen Hearts secure a two goal cushion. No sooner had that chance gone begging than Rangers equalised at the other end. Steven Smith whipped in a free-kick and Lee McCulloch's glancing header brought Rangers back level.
Calum Elliot then had to be stretchered off after only eight minutes on the field with what looked to be a knee injury, bad news for Calum who had just returned from a heel injury. From that minute on Hearts did not look the same.
Suso had the chance to grab Hearts the winner on 85 minutes with a powerful swerving shot right down the throat of McGregor, who again just did enough to get the ball away from the danger.
Disaster struck a minute from time when Ismael Bouzid was adjudged to have brought down Steven Naismith in the box and referee Craig Thomson pointed to the spot. Kris Boyd, who had only been on the field two minutes, stepped up and slotted the ball home.
After a good performance by the Jambos and a visible improvement from Zagreb, Rangers last gasp penalty just proved too much to overcome and Hearts continue on their path of four games in 11 days.
Hearts: Balogh; Jonsson; Bouzid, Goncalves, Wallace; Suso, Black, Palazuelos, Obua; Witteveen (Elliot 61, Novikovas 69), Nade (Glen 31). Subs not used: Kello, Kucharksi, J Stewart, Park, C Thomson.
Rangers: McGregor; Whittaker, Bougherra, Weir, Papac; McCulloch, Davis, Thomson; Naismith, Miller (Boyd 87), Fleck (Smith 45). Subs not used: Alexander, Niguez, Beasley, Little, Wilson,
Referee: Craig Thomson
Top man: Jose Goncalves
Join Lawrence Broadie, Mark Donaldson and Gary Mackay for live audio coverage on Hearts.TV from 12.30pm via the home page.
