Substitute Tomas Magnusson scored a late winner as Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts defeated Hibernian 1-0 in a tense Edinburgh derby to tighten their grip on top spot.
The Icelandic midfielder popped up with the game’s decisive moment in the 88th minute to spark jubilant scenes inside Tynecastle.
The Jambos are six points ahead of Rangers, who have a game in hand, and nine ahead of Celtic, who have two games in hand.
Hearts boss Derek McInnes handed a first start to January signing Islam Chesnokov, while Frankie Kent replaced Craig Halkett, who was suspended following his red card in last Tuesday’s defeat at St Mirren.
There were also two changes to the Hibs side that started last Wednesday’s win over Dundee United as Jordan Obita and Elie Youan made way for Nicky Cadden and Kai Andrews.
Amid a pumped-up atmosphere, Hearts started brightly, with Landry Kabore driving a low effort just wide after cutting in from the right before Claudio Braga sent an acrobatic effort high and wide.
Hibs had a good opportunity on the counter-attack in the ninth minute as Felix Passlack drove towards the Hearts box but the German overhit his pass to the supporting Martin Boyle, who teed up Nicky Cadden for an angled shot that was deflected away by Kent.
In a typically frenetic derby, both sides were struggling to find any sustained quality although Hearts had a couple of half-chances, with Chesnokov closed down by goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger as he tried to get on the end of a ball over the top before Alexandros Kyziridis shot over from just outside the box.
Hearts went close in the 41st minute when Kabore’s shot broke off Munashe Garananga and ran tantalisingly into the path of Chesnokov but the Kazakh blazed over from close range under pressure from Sallinger.
Hibs had become the more assured side as the half wore on and they threatened just before the break when Boyle turned in the box and saw a low shot saved by Alexander Schwolow.
Hearts tested Sallinger for the first time in the 53rd minute when Harry Milne unleashed a low shot from 20 yards after being teed up by Kyziridis following a cleverly worked corner.
Hibs started to crank up the pressure around the hour mark and Cadden’s delivery across the face of goal was brilliantly cut out by Kyziridis with Boyle lurking unmarked in the centre.
The visitors went close in the 69th minute when Boyle fizzed a shot just over from Cadden’s delivery.
But Hearts eventually found the breakthrough in the closing stages when Milne’s low cross from the left was forced in from close range by the onrushing Magnusson.
Wednesday 11th February 7:00pm
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