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

Dive into Coral’s 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 tense encounter at Tynecastle. The game started evenly, with Rangers seeing a VAR check on Bojan Miovski early on at 12 minutes, but Hearts grew into it and took the lead through Stuart Findlay in the 38th minute, assisted by Alexandros Kyziridis. They doubled their advantage just before the break when Lawrence Shankland scored in the 42nd minute, with Cláudio Braga providing the assist, capping off a strong first half that built on Hearts’ recent unbeaten run including wins over Falkirk and Celtic.

The second half saw Rangers push forward after bringing on Youssef Chermiti at half-time, but Hearts held firm despite yellow cards for Oisin McEntee at 61 minutes and later Beni Baningime. Late substitutions for both sides added drama, and Rangers pulled one back deep into stoppage time with Chermiti scoring in the 90+5th minute, assisted by Thelo Aasgaard. It wasn’t enough to salvage a point, though, as Hearts extended their fine form with this win, while Rangers’ mixed results continue after draws with Dundee United and Falkirk.

Rangers edged possession with 57% compared to Hearts’ 43%, suggesting they controlled more of the ball, but Hearts made their moments count on the counter. The visitors also dominated successful dribbles at 65 to Hearts’ 17 and won more corners with 10 against 6, pointing to them being the more attacking side overall, yet they couldn’t convert that pressure into enough goals. Both teams used all five substitutions, with Hearts making late changes to shore up their defence, while Rangers introduced fresh legs earlier to chase the game, and the match saw just three yellow cards in total, keeping things fairly disciplined despite the late tension.

Hearts recorded two assists to Rangers’ one, underlining their efficiency in creating scoring chances, and there were no penalties or red cards to swing the momentum dramatically.

The breakthrough came in the 38th minute when Stuart Findlay put Hearts ahead, slotting home after a neat assist from Alexandros Kyziridis, which shifted the game’s balance. Hearts quickly built on that with Lawrence Shankland’s goal just four minutes later in the 42nd, thanks to Cláudio Braga’s setup, giving them a solid cushion going into the break. Rangers had an early VAR moment involving Bojan Miovski at 12 minutes, but it didn’t lead to anything decisive.

In the second half, substitutions played a big role, like Rangers bringing on Youssef Chermiti at half-time, who eventually scored a late consolation in the 90+5th minute with help from Thelo Aasgaard. Hearts faced pressure with yellow cards to Oisin McEntee at 61 minutes and Beni Baningime in stoppage time, but their late subs, including Alan Forrest and Beni Baningime coming on at 83 minutes, helped them see out the win despite Rangers’ push.

Hearts lined up in a solid 4-2-3-1 formation, which allowed them to absorb pressure and hit on the break, with Lawrence Shankland leading the line effectively as the focal point up front. Stuart Findlay was key at the back, popping up to score, while Alexandros Kyziridis and Cláudio Braga formed a creative partnership in midfield, providing assists for both goals. Late changes saw players like Beni Baningime and Alan Forrest come on to freshen things up, maintaining their defensive shape.

Rangers set out in a 3-1-4-2 shape, aiming for width and attacking depth, with Bojan Miovski involved early on before being replaced later. Youssef Chermiti made an impact after coming on at half-time to score their only goal, assisted by Thelo Aasgaard who also entered as a sub. The setup allowed for players like James Tavernier to push forward before his substitution, but they struggled to break down Hearts’ defence consistently.

Coral’s Man of the Match goes to Lawrence Shankland, who stood out with his crucial goal that helped secure the win for Hearts. He didn’t rack up assists but created one key pass and was involved in a big chance, showing his importance as a leader up front. Even though he was subbed off late in stoppage time for Elton Kabangu, his performance was pivotal in a game where Hearts needed that clinical edge.

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 edged out Rangers with a 2-1 victory, keeping their strong run going with three straight wins including triumphs over Falkirk and Celtic, plus a couple of recent draws. Sitting top of the table on 41 points, they’ll look to extend that lead when they face Hibernian on 2025-12-27 at 12:30, with their rivals currently fifth on 25 points – a win could really cement their position at the summit and keep the pressure on those chasing European spots.

Rangers have just slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Hearts, adding to a patchy spell with back-to-back draws before this loss, though they had wins over Hibernian and Kilmarnock earlier. Currently fourth on 29 points, they need to bounce back quickly in their next fixture against Motherwell on 2025-12-27 at 15:00, where the opposition sit third on 30 points – three points here could see them climb the table and close the gap on the teams above.

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