Hearts strengthened their Scottish Premiership title challenge with a 2-1 comeback victory over Rangers at Tynecastle, moving three points ahead of Celtic and seven clear of Rangers, as captain Lawrence Shankland struck a late winner after Stephen Kingsley had cancelled out Dujon Sterling’s first-half opener.

The result also deepened Rangers’ problems in the Scottish Premiership title race, as Danny Rohl’s team slipped further behind after suffering a second straight league defeat, while Hearts extended a strong home sequence that now stretches to six successive top-flight wins at Tynecastle.

Rangers went in front after 23 minutes, punishing Hearts’ wasteful early finishing. James Tavernier launched a long throw from the right, the ball was only half cleared, and full-back Dujon Sterling met it with a volley that took a deflection and left Jack Butland wrong-footed.

Hearts could have been ahead before Sterling struck. Craig Halkett rose to meet a Marc Leonard cross but headed over from close range, and Rangers survived again when Tochi Chukwuani somehow failed to hit the target from inside the six-yard box in the 18th minute.

The match shifted soon after half-time when Stephen Kingsley dragged Hearts level. Alexandros Kyziridis cut inside and curled a shot against the post, and Kingsley reacted quickest, guiding the rebound into the net and lifting the crowd as Rangers’ earlier control began to fade.

Kingsley remained central to the decisive moment on 71 minutes. Driving down the left, Kingsley kept the attack alive and delivered a low cut-back, which ran through to Lawrence Shankland. The Hearts captain caught Butland by surprise with a first-time effort at the near post.

Scottish Premiership title race and Hearts vs Rangers data notes

Rangers responded after Shankland’s goal and almost forced an equaliser. Substitute Thelo Aasgaard met a cross with a firm header that beat the goalkeeper but crashed against the crossbar, allowing Hearts to scramble clear and protect a win that keeps their Scottish Premiership title push on track.

The performance contrast either side of half-time for Hearts was clear in the numbers. Before the break, Hearts produced only one shot, worth 0.02 expected goals. By full-time, those figures had climbed to 11 attempts and 0.92 expected goals, underlining their attacking improvement.

Stephen Kingsley’s all-round display underpinned that revival. The wing-back delivered three crosses, the joint-highest for Hearts, made nine entries into the final third, again a joint team-best figure, and won all three of Kingsley’s aerial duels, showing consistent influence in both defensive and attacking areas.

{TABLE_1}

Hearts’ win also carries historical weight in the Scottish Premiership title race context. Hearts have now recorded six straight home victories in the top division, their best sequence at Tynecastle since an eight-game run between August and December 2005, reinforcing their strong position.

This is also the first season since 1985-86 that Hearts have beaten Rangers three times in all league meetings, while Rangers have now lost consecutive league games for the first time since 2018, leaving their Scottish Premiership title hopes under serious pressure after the Tynecastle defeat.