Kai Watson: Do Hearts Have the DNA of Champions?
Celtic were back to winning ways under Martin O’Neill on Saturday and they went within three points of Hearts having played one more game. They were excellent against Dundee United, who admittedly were poor, but they were back to playing with intensity and creating a plethora of chances.
Sometimes all it takes is a managerial change..
That put massive pressure on Derek McInnes’ Hearts though as a loss meant Celtic would be just three points behind and then if Rangers won later in the day they would go level on points, albeit having played a game more.
Dundee away wasn’t an easy game, Celtic lost there earlier in the season and Steven Pressley’s side had won their last three and only conceded once in those matches. They included an impressive 1-0 win against Falkirk, a 2-1 comeback victory against Kilmarnock at Dens Park and then an away derby win last weekend.
They were playing with confidence, striker Ashley Hay had scored two in two and wingers Cameron Congreve and Tony Yogane have been flying and terrorising opposition defences.
Hearts followed up beating both Old Firm teams within three games by losing the Edinburgh Derby 3-2, when in reality, it could and should have been a lot worse. Hearts were 3-0 down by the 48 minute mark and Hibs missed numerous chances to go 4-0 up then late goals from Shankland and Cammy Devlin made it seem a lot closer than what it actually was.
On paper it was a really interesting game and could have been a banana skin for the league leaders. Dundee started well, had a decent amount of possession and looked to be positive on the ball. Billy Koumetio had a header on target in the second minute but didn’t create anything else before what seemed like the inevitable happened.
Hearts took a free-kick around ten yards from where they should have, which Dundee were obviously furious over and the ball made its way to Claudio Braga who drilled a low shot into John McCracken’s bottom right corner.
It was a brilliant finish but should the free-kick have been retaken from the correct position?
Hearts then settled into the game and could have been 2-0 up when Shankland fired a volley from outside the box just wide and Kyziridis’ cross/shot was diverted away by the Dundee goalkeeper.
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Then came a pivotal moment in the game, Yogane was played through and taken out by Schwolow just outside the box. Initially the flag went up for offside but after a VAR check, Yogane was ruled onside and Ryan Lee was sent to the monitor to check the foul. He, correctly in my opinion, decided on a red card for the Hearts ‘keeper and goalscorer Braga was substituted off for Craig Gordon.
The 43-year-old produced a good save immediately from a fierce Cameron Congreve freekick and then came half-time. The second half was a massive test for Hearts because Dundee were never really out of the game despite not creating much. The league leaders defended brilliantly though and limited Dundee to crosses into the box which, for the most part, they dealt with excellently.
That was until the dying embers of the game when substitute Emile Acquah powered a great header down into the ground which looked destined for the corner. Somehow though, Gordon got down to it and almost scooped it out from the goal, a truly magnificent save and the type that deserved to earn his side three points.
Although they never really looked in a lot of danger, Hearts defended superbly well and grinded out the 1-0 victory, exactly the type of win you need to be champions. That sent them back to being six points clear at the top of the table.
Rangers later defeated Aberdeen 2-0 at Pittodrie to cut the gap to three points but Hearts still have a game in hand. That Dundee win, if it had gone wrong, could have spiralled them into a bad run but they’ll take supreme confidence from being able to grind out a victory in Dundee.
Does a victory like that make you believe that Hearts can actually win the title?
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