An emphatic victory at Dundee propelled Hearts towards the Premiership’s top six thanks to three brilliantly-executed goals. Captain Lawrence Shankland and midfielder Blair Spittal put the visitors 2-0 ahead within 17 minutes. Elton Kabangu’s goal after half-time ended the game as a contest, Musa Drammeh made it four, Kabangu’s stunning volley took the score to 5-0, and substitute Kenneth Vargas drove home a late strike for a 6-0 drubbing.
This was unquestionably Hearts’ most convincing performance of the season to date, resulting in their biggest top-flight away win since 1988. Underpinning it was a quite blistering start which left Dundee floundering. Both teams entered the match level on points but the Edinburgh club overwhelmed their hosts to move up to seventh in the league table. They finished the game one point behind sixth-placed Motherwell - who face Celtic on Sunday - and remain unbeaten in 2025 with five wins and two draws from their last seven outings.
Austrian centre-back Michael Steinwender made his Hearts debut as a substitute late in the match following his arrival from Swedish side IFK Varnamo. Shankland was back in the team and would have scored with a header in the opening minutes but for a fine reaction save from the Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson. Within quarter of an hour, the Scotland international striker did find the net.
Spittal fed the ball from the left into Shankland’s feet inside the opposition penalty area. A touch with the right boot and a swipe with the left and the ball flew across Carson into the far corner of the net for a crisp finish. With the boisterous away support still celebrating, Hearts wasted no time increasing their advantage two minutes later.
Musa Drammeh’s cross from the right was partially cleared by the Dundee centre-back Clark Robertson but only as far as Spittal. From just inside the penalty box, the midfielder took a touch off the thigh before rattling an unstoppable left-footed shot into the top corner. The irony of two former Dundee United players scoring to leave Dundee trailing 2-0 inside 20 minutes would not have been lost on Dens Park regulars.
Carson saved efforts from Lewis Neilson and Kabangu as the visitors threatened to increase their superiority. The home manager Tony Docherty would have been frustrated by his team’s inability to gain any kind of traction during the first 45 minutes as they played second fiddle. The exasperation was certainly evident among fans, many of whom directed their anger at referee Lloyd Wilson after a series of decisions went Hearts’ way.
A quite brilliant third goal put this game to bed six minutes after the interval. Cammy Devlin started the move with a defensive tackle in the right back area before a forward ball to Kabangu. His head flick inside found Shankland, who took a touch to slide a perfect through ball in behind the Dundee defence. Kabangu opened his legs to outpace Robertson in a straight sprint, and the Belgian composed himself to tuck the ball beneth Carson and make it 3-0.
Kabangu’s name was roaring out from the away end following four goals in four games since arriving at Tynecastle on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise. It would soon be five in four. The fourth Hearts goal wasn’t quite as easy on the eye as the previous ones, but Drammeh won’t complain. The Spaniard pounced to prod the ball into an empty net after Carson failed to hold one of Spittal’s many free-kicks into the danger area.
The fifth goal arrived on 77 minutes when James Penrice’s corner was touched on by substitute Vargas at the near post. Kabangu knew exactly what he wanted to do and promptly swivelled his body for an exquisite left-footed volley which left Carson no chance as it powered into the net. It was a fine way to round off a tremendous performance for the striker.
There was time for Steinwender to take the field in the closing minutes for his first taste of Scottish football. Devlin’s deflected shot hit the Dundee crossbar late on. Then Vargas fastened on to fellow sub Alan Forrest’s through ball to drive home a low finish in stoppage-time. It should be said that 6-0 didn’t flatter Hearts, who left the field thoroughly satisfied with a magnificent day’s work on Tayside.
Here are the Tynecastle side’s player ratings from Dens Park:
5. LB: James Penrice
8/10 A good influence down the left thanks to his relationship with Spittal. Supplied the corner for the fifth goal. Gave nothing away defensively, either. | SNS
6. MR: Musa Drammeh
7/10 Back in the team and put in his usual hard shift up and down the right. His cross led to the second goal and he was well-placed to score the fourth. | SNS Group
7. CM: Cammy Devlin
8/10 Tried to keep play moving at a tempo. Didn't give Dundee's midfield a second on the ball. Excellent work in the build-up to Hearts' third goal. Hit the bar late on. | SNS Group
8. CM: Beni Baningime
7/10 Efficient and tidy in the middle. Closed opponents down and tried to pick up loose balls. | SNS Group