Hearts 0-3 Rangers: Ibrox side punish a tame display by Jambos

Sitting in third place ahead of the chasing pack after a ten-game unbeaten run, Hearts discovered they still have work to do to match those above them in the cinch Premiership table.

Rangers, yet to suffer a loss under manager Michael Beale, executed a comfortable 3-0 victory at Tynecastle Park with two Alfredo Morelos goals and one from Malik Tillman. They remain in pursuit of league leaders Celtic and earned three vital points to that end in Edinburgh, leaving Hearts cursing a tame overall display.

The hosts were booed off the field by their own fans at the interval despite an excellent run of results since the World Cup break. They were firmly second best to Rangers as a new-look central midfield failed to have the desired impact. Neither Garang Kuol, the Australian teenager, or Barrie McKay managed to influence proceedings in the middle of the pitch alongside Robert Snodgrass, whilst Rangers’ tenacity and aggression in that department saw them seize the initiative in this game.

Rangers were entitled to feel confident arriving in Gorgie having won six of the last seven meetings between these clubs. That included a convincing 4-0 triumph on their previous Tynecastle visit last October under former manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst. His replacement, Beale, was taking charge for the 11th time after eight wins and two draws in his first ten games. It was to prove a far more straightforward evening than he might have expected in the Capital.

Hearts named an attacking line-up including a first start in maroon for Newcastle United loanee Kuol. He occupied an unfamiliar midfield role, while Stephen Humphrys missed out through illness. A sense of anticipation swept through the Tynecastle stands as kick-off approached, with the hosts unbeaten since November. This fixture often proves a tasty affair and under midweek floodlights there is always a tingle in the air.

Rangers made the early running and pinned the hosts inside their own half, which was to become the theme of the evening in all honesty. An early effort by Morelos was disallowed for offside before the Colombian headed a permissible opening goal after just nine minutes. Ryan Kent's clipped cross was headed home relatively easy by Morelos as he manoeuvred himself in between Stephen Kingsley and Alex Cochrane to convert from just three yards out.

Hearts’ midfield could not gain a foothold in proceedings during the opening 20 minutes, partly due to an aggressive showing from their opponents. They missed the energy and battling qualities of Australian internationalist Cammy Devlin, who was ruled out due to a tight hamstring.

The home players eventually forced their way forward when Lawrence Shankland dispossessed Glen Kamara deep inside his own half and supplied Kuol on the run. He in turn slipped the ball to Barrie McKay, whose shot was blocked by the visiting goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland and his Rangers counterpart James Tavernier at Tynecastle.

Rangers hit the net again through Fashion Sakala on 29 minutes only to be thwarted by another offside flag. That prompted the Hearts manager Robbie Neilson to flip his 3-5-2 formation to 4-2-3-1, pushing Kuol up to lead the attack with Shankland in an advanced midfield role. It didnt alter the flow of the game, though.

Sakala’s first-time strike from Tillman’s cutback was brilliantly pushed away by Zander Clark in the home goal before Tillman claimed the second on 35 minutes. Borna Barisic’s deep cross from the left was headed back across goal by Connor Goldson for the American internationalist to cushion into the net.

John Lundstram would have made it 3-0 but for another impressive save by Clark as an extremely one-sided first half drew to a close. Jeers from home supporters summed up the story at that point. It was no surprise to see two Hearts substitutes coming on before the restart – Orestis Kiomourtzoglou and Alan Forrest introduced for James Hill and Kuol. Hill had looked as uncomfortable at right wing-back as Kuol did in midfield.

The early moments of the second half were mired in controversy after referee John Beaton awarded Rangers a penalty and then rescinded it after a VAR monitor review. He decided Ryan Kent had dived going past Hearts defender Alex Cochrane and cautioned the English winger.

Forrest rattled the ball off McGregor’s left post, Clark then stopped Morelos’ powerful drive and Sakala was again denied a goal by another offside decision. Rangers eventually beat the offside trap on 68 minutes when Morelos tapped home Sakala’s cross at the back post. The flag was raised but VAR overruled it and confirmed a 3-0 scoreline.

Hearts were moving the ball slightly better without causing Beale and his charges too much concern. Shankland galloped through to collect Toby Sibbick’s low cross, however he could only flick his finish over both the advancing McGregor and the crossbar. At 3-0 entering the final ten minutes, this encounter was all over bar the shouting and no-one in blue was in any hurry to charge forward.

Hearts were playing for pride and perhaps a consolation goal if they could conjure one. The Japanese forward Yutaro Oda had entered the fray from the bench. He and others like Shankland and McKay tried repeatedly to work an opening, but Rangers saw the game out comfortably and headed back to Glasgow with a useful victory from their perspective.

A late handball appeal against Goldson was rejected by VAR, denying Hearts a penalty kick in the final moments. That decision just about summed up the evening for the locals inside Tynecastle.

Hearts (3-5-2): Clark; Sibbick, Rowles, Kingsley; Snodgrass; Hill (Kiomourtzoglou 46), Kuol (Forrest 46), Snodgrass, McKay, Cochrane; Shankland, Ginnelly (Oda 72).

Rangers (4-2-3-1): McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic; Lundstram (Lowry 89), Kamara; Tillman (Jack 76), Kent (Cantwell 76), Sakala (Wright 83); Morelos (Colak 76).

Referee: John Beaton.

Attendance: 18,330.