Hearts 2-1 Rangers: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Hearts 2-1 Rangers in the Premiership on Sunday, 21 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Hearts beat Rangers 2-1 in a hard-fought encounter at Tynecastle. The first half saw Hearts take control with Stuart Findlay opening the scoring in the 38th minute, assisted by Alexandros Kyziridis, before Lawrence Shankland doubled the lead in the 42nd minute with help from Cláudio Braga. Rangers pushed back after the break but couldn’t break through until Youssef Chermiti pulled one back in the 90+5th minute, assisted by Thelo Aasgaard, though it came too late to salvage a point.

This win extends Hearts’ strong recent form, with three straight victories including triumphs over Falkirk and Celtic, helping them maintain momentum at the top. Rangers, on the other hand, have been inconsistent, following wins against Hibernian and Kilmarnock with this defeat that highlights their struggles away from home. Both sides made tactical changes through substitutions, but Hearts held firm despite late pressure.

Rangers edged possession with 57% compared to Hearts’ 43%, suggesting they controlled more of the ball, yet Hearts made the most of their opportunities on the counter. The visitors also dominated corners 10-6 and successful dribbles with a massive 65 to Hearts’ 17, pointing to their attacking intent, but this didn’t translate into goals until stoppage time. Assists favoured Hearts at 2-1, underlining their efficiency in creating scoring chances.

Discipline saw Hearts pick up two yellow cards while Rangers had one, with no reds for either side, keeping the game competitive throughout. Both teams used all five substitutions, with Rangers making an early change at half-time when Youssef Chermiti replaced Mohamed Diomandé, and Hearts bringing on fresh legs late like Beni Baningime for Tómas Bent Magnússon at 83 minutes to see out the win. No penalties or injury-time goals beyond the recorded one shifted the balance significantly.

Hearts struck first in the 38th minute when Stuart Findlay scored, assisted by Alexandros Kyziridis, giving them a deserved lead after building pressure. They quickly added a second through Lawrence Shankland in the 42nd minute, with Cláudio Braga providing the assist, which put Rangers on the back foot going into the break. Oisin McEntee picked up a yellow card for Hearts in the 61st minute, adding tension as Rangers sought a way back.

Rangers had a VAR check involving Bojan Miovski early on at 12 minutes but no major decision changed the flow. Late drama came with Youssef Chermiti’s goal in the 90+5th minute, assisted by Thelo Aasgaard, following substitutions like Djeidi Gassama replacing James Tavernier at 63 minutes and Beni Baningime’s yellow card for Hearts at 90+2 minutes. Hearts made defensive switches, such as Jamie McCart coming on for Stephen Kingsley at 88 minutes, to hold off the visitors’ push.

Hearts lined up in a solid 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lawrence Shankland leading the line effectively as the focal point up front, supported by creative players like Cláudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis who provided key assists. Stuart Findlay anchored the defence and contributed offensively with his goal, while partnerships in midfield helped maintain control during crucial spells. Late changes saw players like Beni Baningime and Alan Forrest enter to bolster the setup.

Rangers deployed a 3-1-4-2 shape, aiming for width and attacking depth, with Bojan Miovski involved early and Youssef Chermiti making an impact after replacing Mohamed Diomandé at half-time to add threat upfront. Thelo Aasgaard’s assist late on highlighted midfield creativity, while defensive adjustments like Clinton Nsiala coming on for Dujon Sterling at 81 minutes tried to shore things up. James Tavernier and Connor Barron started in key roles before being substituted.

Lawrence Shankland earned Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match honours for his decisive contribution, netting one goal that helped secure the win for Hearts. While he didn’t register assists, his one key pass and involvement in creating opportunities stood out in a tight game. Shankland’s performance underlined his importance as Hearts’ main striker, even before being replaced by Elton Kabangu in the 90+3rd minute.

Recent Premiership matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Rangers (H)
• Win: 2-0 vs Falkirk (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Celtic (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Kilmarnock (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Motherwell (A)

Recent Premiership matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Hearts (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Hibernian (H)
• Win: 3-0 vs Kilmarnock (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Dundee United (A)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Falkirk (H)

Hearts have just secured a 2-1 victory over Rangers, continuing their impressive run of three straight wins that has them sitting top of the table on 41 points. They face Hibernian next on 27 December 2025 at 12:30, with the opponents currently fifth on 25 points, offering a chance to extend their lead and solidify their title push. Recent draws against Kilmarnock and Motherwell show they can grind out results, but they’ll need to stay sharp against a mid-table side looking to climb.

Rangers have just suffered a 1-2 defeat to Hearts, a setback after back-to-back wins against Hibernian and Kilmarnock that leaves them fourth on 29 points. Their next fixture is against Motherwell on 27 December 2025 at 15:00, with the hosts sitting third on 30 points, making it a crucial battle to close the gap on the top spots. Recent draws with Dundee United and Falkirk highlight defensive frailties, so they’ll aim to bounce back and avoid slipping further in the race for Europe.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.