Dundee 0-1 Hearts: Report and ratings, red card, injuries, Craig Gordon's heroics, huge statement win

Ten-man Hearts earned three priceless points in the Premiership title race thanks to Claudio Braga’s winning goal at Dundee. All sorts of controversy peppered this encounter but the final scoreline is a colossal one for the Edinburgh club as they look to sustain their place atop the Scottish Premiership. Braga’s first-half goal proved decisive, but Hearts had to play the entire second half a man down following goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow’s red card.

The dismissal was disputed after the German fouled Tony Yogane outside his penalty box and was sent off for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity following a VAR review. Hearts defender Craig Halkett was covering near his goal line, but referee Ryan Lee still ordered Schwolow from the field after reviewing the incident. Dundee attacked at will in the second half but the Gorgie side stood firm, backed by a vociferous travelling support.

They also had Craig Gordon to thank for some hugely important stops. The veteran Scotland internationalist took over in goal after Schwolow’s dismissal for his first Hearts appearance of the season. One stop in injury-time from Emile Acquah almost defied belief. He received the acclaim at the end as the travelling fans roared their approval of a defiant, determined performance.

Dundee entered this fixture following three successive victories, most notably last week’s win in the city derby across the street at Tannadice Park. On-loan Hearts midfielder Yan Dhanda couldn’t face his parent club and was replaced by Fin Robertson. Hearts arrived without who injured left-backs in Harry Milne and Stephen Kingsley as they sought to stretch their lead atop the league table. Milne is to see a specialist after jarring his ankle, while Kingsley tweaked his groin in training. Jamie McCart deputised at left-back at Dens Park as the central defender made his first start of the season.

Schwolow was the first goalkeeper called upon as he stopped Billy Koumetiou’s header from Tony Yogane’s cross with a fine reaction save in the opening minute. That was one of several early balls Dundee delivered into the visitors’ penalty area. Hearts probed away and tried to keep possession on the sodden Dens Park surface. They produced a fine goal on 27 minutes as Braga found a breakthrough, although several Dundee players complained bitterly to referee Lee in the aftermath.

Cammy Devlin was fouled by Robertson inside his own half and took the free-kick further forward than where the offence took place. He also struck the ball while it was still moving as he passed into Lawrence Shankland’s feet. The captain fed it through to Braga, who benefitted from a bit of unintentional heel control. His subsequent touch and driven low finish from 20 yards were very deliberate, however, and left the Dundee goalkeeper Jon McCracken with no chance. The ball roared into the bottom corner to put Hearts 1-0 ahead.

VAR reviewed the incident and concluded there was no infringement, much to the home players’ frustration. They regrouped and tried to push for an equaliser as half-time approached. Wingers Yogane and Cam Congreve were their main threats with a combination of pace, skill and crosses. At the other end, Alexandros Kyziridis was released by Jordi Altena and forced a save from McCracken from a tight angle.

The game then exploded in controversy in first-half stoppage time. Yogane sprinted through and was brought down by Schwolow just outside the Hearts penalty area while trying to dribble past the German. An offside flag was raised but referee Lee was advised, after a long delay, to review the incident by VAR as the offside call was wrong. Lee therefore he had to judge whether Schwolow had denied Yogane an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

He visited a touchline monitor before deciding that the goalkeeper deserved a red card for the so-called DOGSO offence. Replays showed Halkett in place covering the goal so it is extremely doubtful whether Yogane’s chance to score would have been clear. Nonetheless, Lee issued Schwolow a red card. Hearts quickly introduced substitute goalkeeper Gordon and sacrificed goalscorer Braga. Congreve blasted the resultant free-kick goalwards, Gordon beat it away defiantly in his first act of the afternoon. At 43, this was his chance to prove himself to head coach Derek McInnes and he didn’t intend to miss it.

The second half saw Hearts taking no chances. Michael Steinwender was introduced at right-back for the more attack-minded Altena. McInnes would have demanded extra industry from every one of his nine outfield players as they battled to hang on to their one-goal advantage. They were brave enough to attack when opportunities arose. The 4,000-strong travelling support appealed loudly for a foul on Kyziridis on 62 minutes as he sprinted onto Tomas Magnusson’s prodded through ball. Koumetio was the defender in attendance but the appeals were waved away.

Shankland and Kyziridis were substituted on 70 minutes and the Hearts captain looked less than pleased as he exchanged words with McInnes in the technical area. With Frankie Kent and Landry Kabore introduced, the Tynecastle side now had five centre-backs on the pitch as they looked to see out this game and claim three vital points with 10 men. Dundee pushed forward with striker Simon Murray off the bench and Yogane giving Steinwender a tough time. Every time a cross landed in the visitors’ box, Halkett or Stuart Findlay headed it clear. When they didn’t, Kent or McCart stepped in.

Dundee worked a chance in the final few minutes as Congreve found Drey Wright in space. His effort was pushed over for a corner by Gordon. The keeper’s stoppage-time stop from substitute Acquah’s header was as good as any you will see in any season as he scrambled to his left to push the ball away and prevent a certain goal. It was the kind of save which keeps teams in the title hunt, and Hearts left the field to joyous cheers from their fans after a huge win.

Here are the Hearts player ratings from Dens Park: