Hearts' four-game winning league run was ended by Abdallah Sima's first-half strike as Rangers earned a narrow victory at Tynecastle Park. The Edinburgh club came close to an equaliser on several occasions but could not find a way to goal.
Sima hit the net on 34 minutes in what was a pretty even encounter overall. The Hearts fans complained at a number of decisions by referee Willie Collum during the evening as their team tried to restore parity. However, the match ended 1-0. The only consolation for the hosts was a number of key players rejoining the matchday squad after injury.
Goalkeeper Craig Gordon, defenders Nathaniel Atkinson and Craig Halkett, plus winger Barrie McKay were all back involved. Atkinson went straight into the starting line-up with the other three as substitutes.
Rangers began with a strong team hoping to continue an 11-game unbeaten streak against their Edinburgh hosts. They were guilty of some wayward passing in the early part of the match, which offered Hearts encouragement, and then lost midfielder Tom Lawrence through injury.
The home side ought to have gone ahead after 24 minutes. Atkinson forced his way deep into the visitors' penalty area and cut the ball back to Lawrence Shankland, but Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland parried his shot. The rebound fell nicely for a first-time conversion into the open net by Alex Cochrane seven yards out, however he fired the ball at James Tavernier's shoulder and a glorious chance was spurned. It was one Hearts would regret.
Danilo's effort was disallowed for offside five minutes later as Rangers sensed some vulnerability in the opposition back line. They exploited it moments later to take the lead. James Tavernier collected Ross McCausland's lay-off inside his own half and stroked a 30-yard pass through the home defence with ease. Sima sprinted from left wing to the centre-forward area to fasten on to it, rolling the ball beyond the advancing Zander Clark and into the net.
Hearts would have been angry at how easy their defence parted for Tavernier to play the incisive through ball. Clark denied the Glasgow club a certain second goal in first-half stoppage-time when his instinctive outstretched left leg diverted Danilo's close-range strike away.
With Yutaro Oda and Kenneth Vargas introduced for the second period, Steven Naismith was hoping his team could rediscover some momentum. It was Rangers, though, who enjoyed much of the ball after the restart. Clark was forced down low to save from McCausland and John Lundstram, whilst at the other end Jack Butland pushed away Vargas' first-time shot from fellow sub Alan Forrest's cross.
Into the final 10 minutes, Hearts pressed more and more in search of an equaliser as referee Collum's decisions continued to leave many home supporters baffled. Butland held Frankie Kent's header from a corner, but that apart Rangers saw the game out.
Here are the Hearts player ratings from Tynecastle:
1. GK Zander Clark
7/10 Tremendous instinctive save late in the first half to stop Danilo scoring. Also stopped shots from McCausland's and Lundstram after the interval.
2. RCB: Stephen Kingsley
6/10 Had a lot to deal with as Sima ran in and out of channels on his side. Coped fairly well.
3. CB: Frankie Kent
6/10 Commanding in the air. Angry at some fouls given against him when he was dragged out of central defence.
