Landry Kabore’s 92nd minute strike secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Motherwell and sent Hearts three points clear at the summit of the Scottish Premiership in their final pre-split fixture, writes Matthew Burns.
Motherwell struck first through Emmanuel Longelo early on in the second half, before a reply courtesy of an acrobatic effort from Claudio Braga for 1-1.
Lawrence Shankland’s 87th minute penalty put the Jambos ahead going into the final stages, before Kabore was sent through on goal and fired past Callum Ward into the bottom left corner to seal a massive win for Hearts with five matches left to play.
Derek McInnes made three changes from last Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Livingston at the Set Fare arena.
Beni Baningime replaced the suspended Marc Leonard in the middle of the park, Stuart Findlay started ahead of Jamie McCart in defence, and Blair Spittal came in for Islam Chesnokov out wide.
It was Hearts in maroon and white that got proceedings underway in the blustery conditions inside Tynecastle Park.
The first half chance of the afternoon for the Jambos arrived inside four minutes. Claudio Braga brought the ball down at the edge of the area which fell kindly to skipper Lawrence Shankland, whose glanced effort went wide of Callum Ward’s left hand post.
It was nearly a costly moment for the Motherwell stopper Callum Ward who was robbed of the ball inside his own box by Claudio Braga. It was too tight an angle for the Portuguese attacker to go for goal, who instead played the cut-back looking for Blair Spittal, but the Steelmen got it cleared.
Oisin McEntee came agonisingly close to the opener for the Jam Tarts with 20 played. Blair Spittal swung in a free-kick from the left side of the area which McIntee met, but he was thwarted by Ward who made a fantastic stop to deny him.
Just after, the Jambos looked to profit from another set-piece, this time from Kingsley’s corner from the right. It found Stuart Findlay who’s header went over the bar in the end, but in truth the ball was slightly behind the Hearts defender.
Alex Schwolow was called into action 25 minutes in as Elijah Just set away down the left hand side and sent in a dangerous low cross. It was cleared as far as Elliot Watt who struck a curled effort from the edge of the box, forcing Schwolow to make a good stop at full stretch to deny him.
With nearly half an hour played, Ibrahim Said tested Schwolow with his low strike just inside the area which looked destined for the bottom left corner, but the German stopper got down well to deny him.
On 32 minutes, Alexandros Kyzridis played a clever short free-kick to Stephen Kingsley which was expertly laid off for Blair Spittal at the edge of the area. The midfielder looked to curl it first time into the bottom right corner, but it went just inches wide of the post.
Half-time Hearts 0-0 Motherwell
Motherwell went ahead on 49 minutes. Tawanda Maswanhise drove down the right hand side and played the cut-back all the way across to Longelo at the front post who was on hand to slot home for 1-0.
Hearts were then on the hunt for an equaliser straight away. Stephen Kingsley whipped in a cross from the left to find Craig Halkett for a header from six yards which landed on the roof of the net in the end.
The Steelmen looked to hit Hearts on the break once again as Elijah Just glided through midfield and fed Maswanhise, who took a touch before striking a low effort which went wide of the left hand post.
Straight up the other end, Braga showed great feet down the right as he sent in the cross for Shankland, but the skipper couldn’t direct his headed effort on target.
The Jambos found their leveller just past the hour mark. Blair Spittal sent in the corner from the left to the back post, Stuart Findlay headed it back across for Braga who hooked it acrobatically into the bottom left corner of the net for 1-1. Despite a VAR check for a potential offside, the goal was eventually given by referee Matthew MacDermid.
Landry Kabore had a good opportunity to put the Jam Tarts ahead. Sabah Kerjota sent in the corner from the left which Kabore met, but he saw his header go wide of the target.
Just after, Maswanhise sent a cross from the right to find Longelo once again at the back post, but this time he blazed his curled effort over Schwolow’s crossbar.
With 15 to go, Paul McGinn sent a ball up field to Maswanhise who took it past Halkett and sprinted into the box, but dragged another strike wide of the left hand post.
On 86 minutes, Hearts were awarded a penalty following a VAR check after Kabore was kicked in the back of the head by Welsh in the box.
Skipper Lawrence Shankland stepped up and coolly dispatched his spot-kick into the bottom left corner, sending Ward the wrong way and the Jambos support into raptures.
In the 92nd minute, Landry Kabore settled the match once and for all. The striker was sent through on goal, took on Welsh before powering home with his left foot into the bottom left corner, ensuring that all three points stayed in Gorgie.
Hearts: Schwolow, Kingsley (Altena, 79’), Halkett, Baningime, Shankland ©, Braga (McCart, 89’), Devlin, Spittal (Kabore, 66’), Findlay, McEntee (Steinwender, 79’), Kyzirids (Kerjota, 66’)
Subs: Fulton, Kent, McCart, Kabore, Steinwender, Kyziridis, Altena, Kerjota, Mato, Chesnokov
Motherwell: Ward, O’Donnell, Sparrow, Fadinger, McGinn ©, Maswanhise, Watt, Just, Longelo, Welsh, Said
Subs: Connelly, Gordon, McGhee, Halliday, Nicholson,Preistman, Ross, McAllister, Hendry
Attendance: 18,800
