ABERDEEN 1 HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN 0 Sunday 23 November 2025 William Hill Premiership Pittodrie Stadium Attendance: 17,850 Referee: David Dickinson
Pouring rain at Pittodrie saw Aberdeen produce perhaps their best 90 minutes of the season, ending the William Hill Premiership’s last unbeaten run with a 1-0 win over Hearts.
Following the 1-1 draw with Motherwell before the international break, Jimmy Thelin made three changed to his side with Alexander Jensen, Topi Keskinen and Adil Aouchiche replacing Emmanuel Gymafi and Graeme Shinnie, who were on the bench, and Jesper Karlsson, missing because of a family matter. Nicolas Milanovic came in for Kusini Yengi on the bench.
Hearts drew 1-1 with Dundee United before the break and Derek McInnes made two changes to his side, Frankie Kent and Michael Steinwender replacing the absent Craig Halkett and Lawrence Shankland.
The game opened in pouring rain, amid high winds. It was an end to end start, with Aberdeen having the first strike on goal in the third minute. Keskinen charged forward and found Stuart Armstrong in the box. His shot was blocked away but Dylan Lobban came onto it on the edge of the area. His low first time hit was well handled by Schwolow.
Hearts should have had the ball in the net after 10 minutes. A free-kick 40 yards out was clipped across the box by Kyziridis and Findlay was in front of everyone, only to stab his shot wide from 10 yards out – had it gone in, the Dons might have been rescued by an offside call.
The visitors were close again on 17 minutes from a half cleared free-kick. Hearts managed to recycle the ball back into the box and it fell nicely for Harry Milne who clipped a shot off the top of the bar from the corner of the six yard box.
Nicky Devlin had to produce a great block to end a swift counter-attack from Hearts as they broke from an Aberdeen corner, then as they kept possession, Mats Knoester’s defensive header in his own six yard box was superb to avert danger in the 23rd minute.
There was head tennis from Hearts a minute later, headers back and forth from a corner before Kent put a weak effort into Dimitar Mitov’s gloves. Aberdeen responded with a slick move forward in the 25th minute, ending with Stuart Armstrong flashing a shot over the bar from 20 yards.
Braga was booked for simulation as he went to ground between Jensen and Knoester in the 32nd minute in the penalty area.
Aberdeen were in front in the 39th minute. Keskinen galloped onto a precise wedge shot forward from Polvara on the left edge of the area. He looked to drift inside and got a shade fortunate with a ricochet off a defender, but from there, he got the ball back under control and picked his spot in the far corner, rifling the ball in for the lead. A moment of real quality.
Knoester was booked on 42 for raising his foot to Schwolow as he tried to clear and start a counter-attack.
HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 1 HEARTS 0
Steinwender collected the third yellow card of the afternoon after bringing down Aouchiche on halfway in the 50th minute.
A good run from Kyziridis caused problems for the Dons a couple of minutes later, but as he tried to pull the ball back at the near post, Aberdeen were able to clear their lines. Hearts came closer with another break on 56, that ended with Braga crossing first time for Magnusson to head at goal from eight yards out, but again, it was too close to Mitov who had a straightforward save.
There was a clash of the Devlins on 64 minutes, Cammy getting a yellow card for leaving Nicky on the turf with a crunching tackle.
Polvara came close with the resulting free-kick. Armstrong put the ball in the box and though Hearts cleared, Polvara was onto it 20 yards out, chesting the ball down before drilling a left footed shot just over.
Knoester needed treatment after colliding with Kabore in the 71st minute. While that was going on, Hearts made a triple change with Steinwender, McEntee and Findlay replaced by Borchgrevnik, Spittal and McCart.
It very nearly paid dividends in the 76th minute, Kabore on the end of a long ball and playing an immaculate first touch to Braga, but with the goal seemingly at his mercy, Milne appeared on the scene to find an outstanding last ditch clearance. Nicky Devlin was booked in the 81st minute for handball. Aberdeen then replaced Lobban and Armstrong with Gavin Molloy and Leighton Clarkson.
Kabore should have levelled it up on 82, the ball dropping perfectly for him from a free-kick in, but he slashed at the chance and sliced it well wide. Moments later, Kyziridis pulled an effort across goal and wide.
Aberdeen made their last three changes in the 84th minute with Kevin Nisbet, Graeme Shinnie and Nicolas Milanovic on for Lazetic, Polvara and Keskinen. Magnusson and Braga were replaced by Wilson and Forrest a minute later for the visitors. Molloy was booked on 89 for hauling back Kyziridis.
Kabore was in behind in the final minute of normal time, but his shot was straight at Mitov as the Dons inched towards victory, seven minutes added on. Kzyiridis helped them along with a foul on Molloy that ate into the time some more as he took a caution. Wilson had the final chance in the 96th minute, heading over the bar at the near post. The Dons were home.
Aberdeen: Mitov, Lobban (Molloy 81), Devlin, Knoester, Milne, Jensen, Polvara (Shinnie 84), Armstrong (Clarkson 81), Aouchiche, Keskinen (Milanovic 84), Lazetic (Nisbet 84).
Subs not used: Suman, Gyamfi, Bilalovic, Kjartansson.
Goal: Keskinen (39)
Booked: Knoester, Devlin, Molloy
Hearts: Schwolow, McEntee (Borchgrevnik 73), Kent, Findlay (McCart 74), Milne, Braga (Forrest 85), Magnusson (Wilson 85), Devlin, Kyziridis, Steinwender (Spittal 73), Kabore.
Subs not used: Gordon, Kingsley, Kabangu, Kerjota.
Booked: Braga, Steinwender, Devlin, Kzyiridis
