Hearts 1 – 1 Dundee United
Kucherenko (25′ OG) Stephenson (45′)
Hearts’ unbeaten start to the Scottish Premiership continued after a frantic draw against Dundee United.
It was a breathless start in front of a sellout Tynecastle crowd, but the first opening didn’t occur until the 7th minute. Ivan Dolcek slid Zac Sapsford through on Alexander Schwolow’s goal; the attacker cleverly dinked the Austrian goalkeeper to score, but play was brought back for offside.
Tomas Bent Magnusson responded for Hearts in the 13th minute. A right-sided corner dropped kindly to the Norwegian on the edge of the box, and his sliced strike forced Yevhen Kucherenko into an important save.
Pierre Landry Kabore, fresh off a brace against Dundee eight days ago, was next to test his luck. His left-footed strike had power, but drifted wide of the goal frame.
Dario Naamo unleashed Amar Fatah behind the Hearts defence after 17 minutes. The Swede skewed his right-footed shot wide, but the play was brought back again for offside.
Oisin McEntee ventured down the United left, and Kabore connected with his fizzed cross to head over, bringing an exhausting opening 20 minutes to a close.
A Kucherenko own goal gave Hearts the lead after 25 minutes. Braga found Kyziridis on the edge of the box, and after shifting the ball onto his right foot, he curled a low strike which deflected in off the goalkeeper’s body.
Dundee United carried a threat on occasion and grew into the first period. A looping backpost cross found Fatah, who cushioned his header past Schwolow’s goal in the 32nd minute.
The visitors almost equalised on the stroke of halftime. Schwolow raced off his line to clear a loose ball, which cannoned off on the onrushing Dolcek. Luckily for Derek McInnes’s side, the deflection fizzed wide.
The goal eventually arrived in the 45th minute. Fatah’s backpost corner kick delivery was headed back across the goal by Liverpool loanee Luca Stephenson to spark mayhem in the away end.
McInnes opted for a double change at halftime, as they aimed to cement a 10th league victory of the season by bringing on Stephen Kingsley and Michael Steinwender.
The changes helped pen the visitors back, and Kucherenko gathered Steinwender’s looping header after 52 minutes as they searched for a second goal.
United responded on the hour mark, Fatah drove at the Hearts’ backline, but his blazing strike went high into the Roseburn Stand.
Premiership top goalscorer Lawrence Shankland volleyed over a Kyziridis’ cutback as the Tynecastle faithful spurred on their team. The tension was palpable as they aimed to maintain their nine-point league lead.
United had the ball in the net in the 71st minute. Sapsford megged Stuart Findlay before drilling the ball across the goal for Fatah to tap home. Once more, play was brought back for an offside.
Neither team were able to force the winning goal, and a point felt like a fair result. The Jambos move onto 30 points at the top of the Scottish Premiership, but their lead could be reduced to four if Celtic beat Kilmarnock at Celtic Park.
Dundee United remain in the bottom six, but looked far better than their abject showing against Motherwell eleven days ago. They face Falkirk at Tannadice after the international break, with Hearts visiting Aberdeen the day after.
Heart of Midlothian: Schwolow 6 McEntee 6 Halkett 7 Findlay 7 Milne 6 Magnusson 6 Devlin 7 Braga 6 Kyziridis 7 Kabore 5 Shankland 6
Substitutes: Steinwender 6 Kingsley 6 Ageu 5 Kerjota 5
Dundee United: Kucherenko 7 Iovu 7 Esselink 7 Keresztes 7 Naamo 6 Dolcek 7 Stephenson 7 Sevelj 6 Camara 7 Fatah 6 Sapsford 7
Substitutes: N/A
