Hearts throw it away at Pittodrie
Aberdeen 3 Heart of Midlothian 2
Ladbrokes Premiership Sunday 4th August
2019 – Pittodrie
Hearts
started their league campaign for season 2019-20 at Aberdeen in typical Hearts fashion.
A disappointing first half was followed by a stirring fight back with Hearts on
the cusp of a fine victory – only for Craig Levein’s side to self-combust and
end up with nothing.
There
has been much criticism of Levein and his team following their stumbling Betfred
Cup performances, but the manager made just one change from the team that drew
with East Fife with John Souttar returning and Dario Zanatta dropping out. However,
there was a major boost for the Maroon Army who travelled north in numbers.
Talisman Steven Naismith – having just signed a four-year contract – was on the
substitutes’ bench.
The
home side had cruised to a 5-0 win in the Europa League on Thursday and they
started the game as if they wanted to carry on where they left off. Wilson
wasted an early chance before the Dons took the lead in the 13th
minute. A long ball bounced off the head of Hearts captain Christophe Berra. Keeper
Bobby Zlamal appeared slow to come off his line and Cosgrove scored from an angle
to the delight of the home crowd.
Aberdeen
looked rampant with Gallagher looking particularly dangerous. However, Hearts
did have a chance when Berra dived to head Andy Irving’s cross only to see Dons
keeper Lewis pull off a quite brilliant save.
Hearts
John Souttar then departed the scene after a clash with Cosgrove and it seemed
Hearts injury woes would continue into the new season.
Midway
through the second half Craig Levein brought on Conor Washington and Steven
Naismith and the effect was immediate. Michael Smith launched a long throw
which was nudged on by Craig Halkett into the path of Naismith who nodded home
for the equaliser.
Four
minutes later, unbelievably, Hearts were in front. Naismith fed Uche Ikpeazu
who let in Jamie Walker and the winger drove the ball past keeper Lewis to put
the visitors 2-1 ahead.
However,
this is Hearts and one could tell what was going to happen next. Aaron Hickey
fouled McGinn to receive his second yellow card of the afternoon and therefore
an early bath. From the resultant free-kick McGinn was tripped needlessly inside
the penalty box by Hearts substitute Clevid Dikamona. Cosgrove drove home the
penalty kick and it was 2-2.
The
roof duly fell in on Hearts afternoon five minutes later when Hedges blasted
home a pass from McGinn to make it 3-2 for Aberdeen. A stirring Hearts
fightback had been foiled by pressing the self-destruct button.
Craig
Levein didn’t want to hide his displeasure after the game. He told BBC
Scotland:
“Even
if we had come away with 2-2, I’d still be a little bit disappointed because I
felt that we deserved more than that.
“The
extra man made a difference. Clevid made a stupid decision to leave a foot in
at the penalty area when he didn’t need to. And that has cost us. So, I’m ruing
those silly decisions that we made.”
Aberdeen: Lewis; Logan; Considine; McKenna; Leigh; Ojo; Ferguson;
Wilson; Gallagher; Wright; Cosgrove.
Hearts: Zlamal; Smith; Souttar; Berra; Halkett; Hickey;
Walker; Clare; Irving; Mulraney; Ikpeazu. Subs – White; Bozanic; Washington;
Doyle; Naismith; Cochrane; Dikamona
Referee: Don Robertson
Attendance: 16,410
Top man: Steven Naismith
Thanks to Ian Bell for the photographs