Craig Gordon belied his 43 years to save ten-man Hearts with a world-class save that had pundits drooling and his team-mates rushing to congratulate him.
He threw himself across the goal four minutes into injury time to deny English-born forward, Emile Acquah. It was a stunning save which capped a dogged and determined rearguard action from the capital club.
Title-winning campaigns are built on moments and also key games. Hearts were in the trenches here but this could be one such moment which could be decisive at the business end of the season.
The Jambos fans who packed one end of the Dens Park pitch suffered in the second 45-minutes, but that moment when Gordon threw back the years, will live in the memory of those who had driven the miles to Dundee on waterlogged roads.
Earlier, Dundee were fully fit apart from English-born forward Joe Westley and Yan Dhanda sat out against his parent club, Hearts brought in Jamie McCart in defence while Jordi Altena continued at right-back. Stephen Kingsley suffered a tweak in training on Friday and was ruled out along with Harry Milne. Winger Islam Chesnokov, their new recruit from Kazakhstan, was on the bench.
McInnes admitted pre-game that Dundee were a different proposition from the team they brushed aside 4-0 at Tynecastle on November 1 and they have climbed the league with three straight wins.
They proved that in the first two minutes and Alexander Schwolow was forced into a diving save 1min 15sec into the game after a powerful header from six yards by defender Billy Koumetio after a fine cross from the left from Tony Yogane.
Hearts found it difficult to get into the game on a rain-soaked surface, and Devlin had to make a crucial challenge in one Dundee raid before Cameron Congreve carved out an opportunity down the right.
Hearts’ first real chance fell to Lawrence Shankland near the edge of the box but his snap shot was scuffed wide and Dundee forced their way to the other end as they continued their bright stat to the game.
Luke Graham and Cammy Devlin collided heavily in midfield who required attention. Devlin hobbled off the field in pain but resumed, a relief for the large travelling support who noted head coach McInnes becoming agitated in the dugout area.
Shankland, Alexandros Kyziridis and Claudio Brage were isolated figures up-front for Hearts but Ethan Hamilton had to rise and head the ball for a corner after a whipped cross into the box from Kyziridis. The Jambos went short and failed to make the corner count.
The Men in Maroon had other opportunities but failed to find the quality ball to unlock the Dundee defence, and the Dens Park press stifled the visitors, but Braga took advantage of a lightning fast break from half-way and Braga rifled the ball home into the bottom corner with his right foot from 20 yards. Time: 27mins.
Dundee protested that a free-kick had been taken from the wrong position, and further up the field, but Braga celebrated his 12th goal of his debut season in Scotland. The fans were in full voice as Dundee, who had previously limited Hearts to that one real chance, fashioned an opportunity at the other end. The ball fell to Hamilton close-in but it was scrambled clear.
Congreave continued to threaten and Findlay was forced to concede a corner as Dundee continued to press in search of an equaliser.
However, Hearts broke and Devlin along with Beni Baningime fashioned a chance for Shankland and his shot flew just wide of Jon McCracken’s left-hand post, then Altena’s neat, short pass on the right-hand edge of the penalty area sent in Shankland whose shot flew across the box but nobody was there to tap it in.
VAR became involved into first-half injury time when a long ball found Yogane and he was bundled over by Schwolow on the edge of the box. Referee Ryan Lee was advised to see the pitchside screen and Schwolow was red carded for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.
Veteran Craig Gordon made ready to come in and Braga was pulled. The Scotland international faced a free-kick on the edge of the box, in the middle of the area, with Callum Jones over the ball with Congreave and the latter stepped up to fire in a shot. Gordon dived to his left to parry, a sensational end to the first half.
McInnes brought on defender Michael Steinwender for Altena at the start of the second-half as Dundee dominated early possession, and Congreave continued to threaten.
It was one-way traffic towards the Jambos goal, and it was no surprise when Simon Murray was sent on for Clark Robertson. Imari Samuels replaced Ryan Ashley and Koumetio had a chance but sent his header over the top.
McInnes called for reinforcements and Frankie Kent replaced Kyziridis and Shankland made way for Kabore. Halkett took over as skipper.
It was a real struggle, back-to-the-wall, for the William Hill Premiership leaders. They were hanging on as the minutes ticked on, but the hard-working nine outfield players managed to keep the Dundee side away from Gordon.
Certainly, it was not pretty at times, with the ball booted clear, but it was tense and gripping stuff. Dundee had chances, Ethan Hamilton headed wide from the penalty spot as Yogane tormented the Men in Maroon – actually white on the day – down the left.
The defence stood firm into injury time, despite the Dens Park men throwing everything at them. Dundee then swung in a ball from the right. It was nodded towards the bottom left-hand corner of the Hearts net and seemed to be heading in. That’s until evergreen Gordon got his hands to the ball and clawed it to safety.
