Hearts continue to build as Aberdeen start to crumble

The psychological boost gained by Heart of Midlothian before they face Rangers in the semi-final of the CIS Insurance Cup at Hampden Park on Wednesday night cannot be underestimated. In a season fraught with difficulties – as much off as on the pitch – the Edinburgh side have found it nigh on impossible to generate anything resembling momentum, stuttering, as they have, through an unimpressive season.

Such a scenario, however, may be about to change and, with Stevie Frail, their caretaker manager, being forgiven for clutching at the straw of two successive league victories for the first time this season, things are looking up for the Tynecastle side.

The same might not be said of Aberdeen, who will be in CIS Cup semi-final action themselves, against Dundee United at Tynecastle tomorrow night, though they could not be faulted for a lack of effort, which is more than could be claimed in a clutch of games this season when their form has been suspect.

Christophe Berra, the Hearts captain, was right in his assertion that his team battled hard for each other and that, were it not for the agility and acrobatics of Jamie Langfield, the Aberdeen goalkeeper, the result would have been more convincing than the single goal Christian Nade scored after an attempted pass-back by Stuart Duff was miscued and fell for the powerful striker, on loan from Sheffield United.

“They put us under a lot of pressure as they went to a 2-4-4 formation,” Berra said, “but our goalkeeper didn’t have a great deal to do.

“We know Rangers are there for the taking on Wednesday and if we perform the way we did at Aberdeen and show the same work-rate and defend the way we did, and maybe take the chances a bit better, they’ll know they are in for a game.”

Berra pointed to the move that gave Frail sole charge of team matters as a turning point in the fortunes of the Edinburgh side. “You can see since he has take over that training is better. It’s more high-tempo and more enjoyable and people are looking forward to coming into training. We’re beginning to get results.”

Aberdeen continue to struggle with the issue of consistency, a long-time problem which, apparently, has no solution.

Langfield felt William Collum, the referee, was in a lenient mood in his dealings with Berra, booked in the second half after his umpteenth foul on Lee Miller, whose physical presence certainly kept the Tynecastle captain extra busy.

“Miller got knocked about silly,” Langfield said, “and it was frustrating for him. But that’s us lost at home for the first time in 15 games at Pittodrie this season and we need to get back to our best and put on a show on Tuesday.”

There was no doubt that the Aberdeen goalkeeper’s performance was key to keeping a more respectable scoreline for his side and while Jimmy Calderwood, his manager, maintained the game “had 0-0 written all over it” there were three occasions in the closing stages when, but for Langfied’s expertise, Hearts would have gone home a much happier bunch.

With Saulius Mikoliunas showing why he is so highly rated, despite a late booking for diving in the area, a charge he and his teammates disputed, the men from Gorgie will prove more than a handful for Rangers on Wednesday.

“Mikoliunas, whether or not he plays well, keeps churning out performances of 100 per cent commitment and work-rate and he usually chips in with a goal,” Frail said. “He summed up the the whole spirit I’m looking for. He’s been great for us. We want to keep him and all our good players.”

For Calderwood, there is the crucial job of trying to lift is side before tomorrow’s semi-final, a task that has proved a tall order on many occasions this season. He seems unable to correct the major flaw that has dogged Aberdeen this season – inconsistency – despite their excellent record and impressive performances in the Uefa Cup so far.

If Aberdeen can display the kind of form they did against Dnipro and FC Copenhagen while on semi-final business at Tynecastle, they could feel confident of reaching the CIS Cup final. But, as Calderwood has said many times, you never know which Aberdeen team will turn up on the day.

Aberdeen (4-4-2) J Langfield 8 J McNamara 7 A Diamond 6 A Considine Y 6 R Foster 6 J de Visscher 6 B Nicholson 6 S Severin 5 D Young 6 J Smith 6 L Miller 7. Substitutes C Maguire 6 (for Young, 28min), S Duff 5 (for Severin, 32), S Lovell 5 (for Smith, 68) Not used D Soutar, D Mackie, D Bus, Jon Smith.

Hearts (4-4-2) S Banks 7 R Neilson 7 C Karipidis 8 C Berra Y 8 J Goncalves 7 E Jonsson 7 M Stewart 7 R Palazuelos 7 S Mikoliunas Y 7 A Velicka 8 C Nade 7. Substitutes A Ksanavicius 7 (for Nade, 66min), R Beniusis (for Velicka, 75), N McCann (for Mikoliunas, 85) Not used A Basso, L Wallace, K Ivaskevicius, J Thomson.

Referee W Collum
Attendance 14,000

Taken from timesonline.co.uk