HEARTS 1 ABERDEEN 1
SPFL Premiership
Sunday 1st December 2024
Tynecastle
Ref: Kevin Clancy
It was a second draw inside a week in the capital for the Dons as 107 minutes of football couldn’t separate two committed sides who were running on empty by the final minutes of a gruelling encounter.
After the 3-3 draw at Hibernian on Wednesday night, there were six changes to the Aberdeen starting XI with Graeme Shinnie, Slobodan Rubezic, Topi Keskinen, Duk and Kevin Nisbet all starting on the bench and Jack MacKenzie missing out with an injury. In came Angus MacDonald, Leighton Clarkson, James McGarry, Ante Palaversa, Ester Sokler and Shayden Morris. Dante Polvara replaced Peter Ambrose on the bench.
Hearts lost 2-0 at Cercle Brugge on Thursday night and made five changes to their side with Stephen Kingsley, Daniel Oyegoke, Beni Baningime, Blair Spittal and Musa Drammeh coming in for Adam Forrester, James Penrice, Malachi Boateng, Yan Dhanda and Kenneth Vargas.
It was a very brisk start from the home side, Aberdeen penned into their defensive third in the first couple of minutes, though Hearts couldn’t quite fashion a decisive chance. Musa had the first real shot in anger on nine minutes, dragging an effort wide of the target from 20 yards. Shankland volleyed well over from 15 yards out a couple of minutes later as the hosts had much the better of the early exchanges.
Kingsley went down with a knee injury as he stretched to make a clearance on 25 minutes and was clearly in some distress as he was stretchered off, Halkett replacing him. Kent was the next to go down in the 32nd minute with what looked to be a hamstring issue and he limped off, Forrester coming on in his stead.
Spittal forced the first save of the game, a curling shot across goal from 20 yards plucked out of the air by Dimitar Mitov on 36 minutes. The second save that was required was not made though, as the Dons went 1-0 up from a counter-attack from there. Morris burst away down the right from Mitov’s throw out and played infield to Sokler and ultimately on to Sivert Heltne Nilsen on the left. He crossed it in, Clarkson having a shot blocked but Morris collected the loose ball again on the right and after he made a little bit of space to cross, he picked out Clarkson who produced a clever, acrobatic finish to guide the ball across Gordon, placing it perfectly just inside the far post.
Halkett was in the book after 42 minutes for hauling Morris to the ground as he collected a ball out from Mitov.
Clarkson very nearly had his second on 44, McGarry putting a nice pass into Jamie McGrath who played it first time into the path of Clarkson. He tried to bend the ball across goal and into the far corner, but Gordon produced a top class save at full stretch, pushing the ball behind.
Gavin Molloy was booked for a foul on Musa as we headed into eight minutes of added time. McGarry joined him there six minutes later.
Hearts were grateful to a brilliant clearance by Oyegoke in the seventh added minute, Morris getting to the by-line and pulling the ball back. It looked as if it was going to reach McGarry but Oyegoke appeared from nowhere to take it off his toe, sliding across the sodden turf, soaked by the pouring rain.
HALF-TIME: HEARTS 0 ABERDEEN 1
The Dons were forced into a change at the break, Ross Doohan replacing Mitov in goal after he had felt a twinge in his thigh while running to prevent a corner late in the first half.
Gordon was in good nick again in the second half. Heltne Nilsen got a great connection on a half cleared corner from 20 yards out, but Gordon flew to his right to save. Heltne Nilsen was booked on 52 for a foul on Musa. McGarry required treatment three minutes later and he and Palaversa were then eventually replaced by Shinnie and Jack Milne.
Hearts were level on 62, a deflected cross from Spittal on the right looping up and into the six yard box at the near post. Musa got to it first and his glancing header thumped into Nicky Devlin and then into the Aberdeen net.
Hearts enjoyed a good spell thereafter, Shinnie getting booked for a foul on Spittall as the hosts threatened again. Duk became Aberdeen’s fourth change in the 75th minute, Sokler making way.
Morris undressed the Hearts defence again in the 78th minute, twisting past a couple of challenges before slinging in a dangerous cross through the six yard box, Forrester almost turning it into his own net as he cleared at the far post.
On 79, Musa and Forrest were replaced by Grant and Vargas, Keskinen coming on for Morris. Grant should have scored within a couple of minutes, Devlin making a brilliant block as the Hearts sub looked set to poke home from seven yards, Devlin then getting up to deny Shankland on the rebound.
Clarkson played a lovely ball through to Duk in the 87th minute. As he advanced on goal, Duk diverted the ball to the left and looked to be caught by Gordon as he dived at his feet, but instead, Duk was booked for simulation.
Doohan had to be alert on 89, racing off his line to cut out a dangerous through ball, then VAR checked for a possible red card after Milne was late on Baningime. That wasn’t given, then there was a check for a penalty in the same move after McGrath went down in the box, but that wasn’t given either.
Hearts had a glimpse of goal in the 96th minute, a clearance sitting up nicely for Shankland 20 yards out, but the Hearts skipper volleyed well over the bar. Doohan was forced into action in the 99thminute at full stretch to claw another Grant volley away to safety, the final chance of the game.
HEARTS: Gordon, Kingsley (Halkett 30), Oyegoke, Baningime, Kent (Forrester 34), Rowles, Devlin, Forrest (Grant 79), Spittal, Musa (Vargas 79), Shankland.
Subs not used: Clark, Boateng, Dhanda, Wilson, Boyce.
GOAL: Devlin (og) (62)
BOOKED: Halkett
ABERDEEN: Mitov (Doohan 46), Devlin, Molloy, MacDonald, McGarry (Milne 59), Heltne Nilsen, Palaversa (Shinnie 59), Morris (Keskinen 80), McGrath, Clarkson, Sokler (Duk 75).
Subs not used: Rubezic, Nisbet, Polvara, Besuijen.
GOAL: Clarkson (37)
BOOKED: Molloy, McGarry, Heltne Nilsen, Shinnie, Duk
