Hearts defeat Rangers 2-1 to take control of Scottish title race
Captain Lawrence Shankland scored a 71st-minute winner as Hearts came from behind to defeat Rangers 2-1 at Tynecastle and take control of the Scottish Premiership title race.
The victory moves Derek McInnes’ side three points clear of second-placed Celtic with just three fixtures remaining.
Meanwhile, the defeat leaves the visitors seven points adrift and effectively ends their championship hopes.
Dujon Sterling had initially threatened to blow the three-way title battle wide open when his deflected effort gave the away side a first-half lead.
Rangers dominate early exchanges
The Glasgow club arrived in Edinburgh needing a victory to close a four-point gap at the top of the table.
Danny Rohl’s team controlled the first half and created several excellent opportunities to seize the initiative.
Nico Raskin forced Alexander Schwolow into an early save, while Tochi Chukwuani wastefully headed over the crossbar from a corner.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 23rd minute when a long throw from James Tavernier caused chaos inside the penalty area.
Sterling reacted fastest to the loose ball, volleying a shot that looped off Michael Steinwender and over the helpless goalkeeper.
McInnes substitution sparks revival
The hosts struggled to gain a foothold in the match until the introduction of Blair Spittal at half-time transformed their attacking threat.
Jack Butland was suddenly called into action, producing a fine save to deny Claudio Braga as the home crowd found its voice.
The pressure eventually told in the 54th minute following a flowing move down the right flank.
Kyziridis curled a low strike against the far post, allowing Stephen Kingsley to calmly guide the rebound into the net from close range.
Shankland seals crucial victory
With momentum firmly on their side, the buoyant league leaders pushed relentlessly for a decisive second goal.
The breakthrough came with 19 minutes remaining when Spittal orchestrated a devastating attack down the left wing.
His precise cutback found the Scottish international perfectly positioned to fire home and ignite rapturous celebrations inside the stadium.
Having secured three consecutive victories, the Tynecastle outfit now possess a superior goal difference over Celtic as they chase a historic league triumph.