Hearts seal title credentials with 2-1 win over Rangers at Tynecastle

Hearts moved a step closer to potential title glory after a 2-1 win over Rangers at Tynecastle, extending their lead to 12 points and strengthening the impression that this season might produce a title challenge. The result underscored Hearts’ improving form, with only one defeat in 18 league matches heading into the midway point of the campaign, a run that has elevated Derek McInnes’s side in Scottish football’s title conversation. For the first time since 1959-60, Hearts had beaten both halves of the Old Firm home and away in a league season, a landmark that has supporters dreaming about what lies ahead in 2026.

Stuart Findlay headed Hearts into a deserved lead 38 minutes in, rising to meet a swift cross from Alexandros Kyziridis after a low cross was spilled by Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland. Four minutes later, Lawrence Shankland doubled the hosts’ advantage, shaping a right-footed finish after Claudio Braga laid the ball back into his path. Hearts controlled large swaths of the first half and carried that momentum into the interval as Rangers failed to carve out meaningful chances before the break.

Rangers emerged with renewed purpose after the break but could not overturn the deficit. Youssef Chermiti did pull a late goal back for Rangers, chasing down a long punt and drilling it beyond Schwolow in the final moments, yet Hearts remained stubborn at the back and saw out the win. The visitors did briefly apply pressure after halftime and coach Danny Rohl began to stretch his lineup, with substitutions including Thelo Aasgaard, Danilo and Djeidi Gassama entering the fray in an effort to change the tempo and find a breakthrough.

The result left Hearts thriving on the big-picture narrative of the season. They have lost just once in 18 league matches, a stat that has fueled belief among supporters that a title challenge is within reach, particularly as Celtic and Rangers have shown inconsistent form at points this campaign. The victory also served as a reminder to Rangers that, despite improving performances under Rohl, there remains work to be done to translate early promise into sustained results. Rangers goalkeeper Butland, who faced some scrutiny for the opening goal, was part of a defense that looked vulnerable at times against Hearts’ speed in attack.

In the wider context, the win reinforced Hearts’ status as bona fide contenders while highlighting the scale of the challenge faced by their city rivals. The match also marked an early turning point in what promises to be a tightly contested league season, with the points tally reflecting a significant gulf between Hearts and the chasing pack at the midway mark. Attendance figures hovered around the evening’s mood, providing a raucous backdrop to a game that delivered on intensity and importance, if not always in perfect footballing elegance. The clash left Hearts in a position to continue pressing, while Rangers confronted questions about how to translate early-season momentum into a sustained title push. This outcome also underscored the ongoing narrative in Scottish football of a shifting balance among the traditional powerhouses, with Hearts signaling that a new chapter may be unfolding under McInnes.