Aberdeen 0 - 1 Hearts, match report

Published Date: 27 February 2010
By BARRY ANDERSON
AT PITTODRIE
REDUCED to ten men and having lost both starting centre-backs to injury, Hearts emerged victorious from Pittodrie thanks to a beautifully executed overhead kick from Eggert Jonsson in the 64th minute.

Larry Kingston was harshly sent off 12 minutes earlier for a high challenge on Aberdeen's Fraser Fyvie, and during the match both Dawid Kucharski and Marius Zaliukas departed through injury. But the visitors' resilience had to be admired as they put an eight-point gap between themselves and Aberdeen in the SPL table.

Kingston replaced Kucharski, who damaged a groin, seconds before half-time. Within seven minutes of the restart he was returning to the dressing room having been dismissed for the second time at Pittodrie. He challenged Fyvie in midfield and, while slightly reckless in catching the youngster's shorts with his studs, it must be said he clearly attempted to play the ball and did not deserve the straight red card issued by referee William Collum. Hearts are likely to appeal the decision next week.

The sense of injustice worked in the visitors' favour. After Zaliukas was withdrawn due to a hamstring complaint, Jonsson surged out of defence and when Calum Elliot's left-foot strike spun awkwardly into the air off Charlie Mulgrew, the Icelander expertly unleashed an overhead kick from 12 yards which sailed into the net. That it proved to be the decisive goal was entirely fitting given the quality of the execution.

The game had endured a turgid opening on a somewhat threadbare Pittodrie surface, Mulgrew's 20th-minute free-kick the nearest attempt at goal. Both sides attempted to pass the ball where possible but were often forced to resort to more direct football due to conditions underfoot. Aberdeen began exerting pressure as the first half progressed and Richard Foster struck side netting with a right-footed drive on 34 minutes.

Ryan Stevenson appealed for a penalty after appearing to take a dunt in the back from Paul Marshall, but referee Collum ignored his claims. Moments later, Hearts replaced the injured Kucharski with Kingston and shunted Jonsson to centre-back alongside Zaliukas. Stevenson's 30-yard drive was stopped with relative ease by Jamie Langfield, and that about summed up the first-half entertainment.

Hearts emerged in a 4-2-3-1 formation after the interval but further changes were enforced following Zaliukas' hamstring injury and Kingston's dismissal. It was the Ghanaian's first tackle of the game and he paid a heavy price. Moments earlier Zaliukas appeared to tweak a hamstring pursuing a ball towards the goal line, and as he departed for Paul Mulrooney, the notion arrived that circumstances might be conspiring against the visitors.

That dispersed within 12 minutes as Jonsson executed a sumptuous strike. He emerged from central defence - where he was now partered by Lee Wallace with David Obua at left-back - to initiate an attack by supplying Mulrooney. The youngster fed Elliot for a left-foot shot which Mulgrew blocked, however the ball spun viciously into the air. As it landed in the penalty box, Jonsson had continued his forward run and arced his body for a fine overhead kick beyond the flailing arms of Langfield from 12 yards.

Despite the numerical disadvantage Hearts continued to attack where possible, although the closing stages saw them pinned back. They played with only nine men for a short period as Wallace departed to have a head wound bandaged, but their resolve was clear to see. Aberdeen never looked capable of scoring and finished with their seventh home league defeat of the season and their eighth consecutive match without victory.

By contrast, it was a contented bunch of travelling fans who journeyed back down the A90 after a priceless third successive win for the Edinburgh club.

Aberdeen (4-4-2): Langfield; Young, Diamond, Mulgrew, Foster; Fyvie, McDonald, Kerr, Marshall; MacLean, Mackie. Subs: Nelson, Aluko 60 (for Marshall), Duff, Grassi, Ifil, Paton 73 (for Fyvie), Jack.

Hearts (4-4-2): Balogh; J Thomson, Kucharski, Zaliukas, L Wallace; Stevenson, M Stewart, Jonsson, Novikovas; Elliot, Obua. Subs: Ridgers, Kingston 45 (for Kucharski), Mole 59 (for Novikovas), Templeton, Glen, Mulrooney 53 (for Zaliukas), Smith.

Referee: William Collum.

Attendance: 8316.

Taken from the Scotsman