Hearts 2-2 Rangers: Player ratings, a new injury, outstanding performers, Derek McInnes, referee display

Derek McInnes’ return to Tynecastle Park ended in a draw as a late equaliser denied Hearts a fourth win in their last five meetings with Rangers. They overhauled Kevin Kelsy’s early opening goal to lead 2-1 thanks to strikes from Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller. However, Elwethu Makhanya’s 89th-minute header secured a dramatic point for the visitors.

McInnes worked hard to sign Miller whilst Hearts manager late last season and the forward almost finished the night as the hero against him. The home side lost yet another player to injury when Rogers Mato went down off the ball on the half-hour mark and was substituted. He is the ninth first-team member to add his name to the club’s injury list. However, there was plenty cause for positivity as they rallied after going 1-0 down. Home supporters applauded a gutsy, resilient display from their team to come from behind.

The late concession was a disappointment, though, as three points were there for the taking. Hearts were the stronger team throughout the second half as they repeatedly got in behind Rangers defenders to create openings. One more goal would have seen off the men in blue. As it was, they looked tired near the end and lost the equaliser with only minutes to go.

Injuries affected both sides for this fixture and Hearts chose to keep faith with Ugandan winger Mato at full-back. Stephen Kingsley and James Wilson were given a rest and there was a rare start for Sabah Kerjota. Rangers arrived with 10 wins and a draw from their last 12 games under McInnes. They made one change to their side by bringing in wide man Djeidi Gassama. Tynecastle was rocking for kick-off, Hearts fans eager to back their team in the quest to continue an impressive recent run against Rangers.

There were plenty chants and boos aimed at McInnes. Sat behind the home dugout and guarded closely by security, former Hearts players Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin didn’t escape the locals’ wrath either. Both were seen laughing off some of the jibes as the action began at a predictably ferocious tempo. The hosts delivered some inviting crosses into the Rangers penalty area through wide players Kerjota and Josh McPake, but no team-mates gambled.

The visitors capitalised on a midfield mistake by Laurent Mendy to open the scoring on 15 minutes. Mendy’s slack touch presented Kelsy with possession, and he exchanged passes with Ryan Naderi inside the Hearts penalty box to slip a composed finish beneath goalkeeper Beau Reus. It was precisely the start McInnes wanted, and the very one the home crowd dreaded. Hearts responded with Braga’s 22nd-minute attempt which Rangers keeper Ivor Pandur collected comfortably. He did likewise soon after with Miller’s shot.

The Glasgow side took a physical approach to this encounter, with defenders Dujon Sterling, Makhanya and Emmanuel Fernandez enjoying initial leniency from referee Don Robertson. They barged and grappled with Braga and took out others in maroon who ventured forward, including the dangerous McPake. Hearts’ balls up to Braga weren’t earning much success. They then lost Mato to injury when he went down off the ball as the club’s recent curse struck again. McPake was fouled again by Sterling seven minutes from the interval - but bizarrely Robertson chose to book the Hearts assistant coach Cederique Tulleners.

Fernandez was eventually issued a caution for bringing McPake down on 43 minutes 20 yards from goal. Pandur held the resultant free-kick from Jordi Altena. McInnes would have been relatively content at the interval, while Vrancken’s team needed more craft and to open up the opposition. On 48 minutes, they forced an equaliser. Calvin Miller’s free-kick to the back-post area was cleverly headed across goal by Malachi Fagan-Walcott, and Braga arrived to convert with his knee from about three yards out.

Tynecastle came alive again at that point. Hearts, presumably following half-time instructions from Vrancken, were now considerably more aggressive. They scored again nine minutes later. Braga’s determined run into the penalty area ended with a left-footed shot which ricocheted off Makhanya into Miller’s path. He promptly lashed it past Pandur at the near post. Cue bedlam. Hearts had been physically outmuscled for much of the first half but showed admirable guts to turn a 1-0 interval deficit into a 2-1 advantage.

Rangers weren’t finished and Reus was airborne to push away substitute Badredine Bouanani’s strike on 68 minutes. Home players began to tire due to their recent punishing schedule. Braga brilliantly skipped away from Fernandez but looked jaded as he shot straight at Pandur. The game was now wide open and Reus needed to attempts to hold Dan Neil’s effort from distance. Referee Robertson was now issuing cards more willingly to both sides - including one to Vrancken for dissent.

Rangers rescued a point with only minutes left as Makhanya’s looping header from Bouanani’s free-kick crossed the line via the far post. Sterling could have headed the winner with the last act of the game, but Reus gratefully caught the ball and both teams settled for a point. Below are the Hearts player ratings from Tynecastle: