Heart of Midlothian produced a dramatic late comeback to defeat Dundee 2-1 at Tynecastle, a result that lifts the Jambos to second place in the Scottish Premiership. Sabah Kerjota scored a 96th-minute winner, his first goal for the club, to complete a turnaround after Claudio Braga's 84th-minute penalty had cancelled out Bradley Fink's early opener.
The game started poorly for the hosts. Dundee's Bradley Fink found the net in the 17th minute, giving the visitors a lead they held for much of the contest. Heart of Midlothian struggled to create clear chances in the first half, a performance manager Wouter Vrancken later described as not good enough. The momentum shifted dramatically in the final ten minutes. Claudio Braga converted a VAR-awarded penalty in the 84th minute to level the score, setting the stage for a frantic finish. Deep into added time, substitute Sabah Kerjota fired home to secure all three points and send Tynecastle into raptures.
After the match, Wouter Vrancken acknowledged his team's resilience but demanded better. "For sure we can make some steps, the first half wasn't good enough," Vrancken said. "There are always excuses, the fatigue and all those things and the recovery." He praised the impact of his substitutes, stating they are needed to change something and make a difference, and expressed hope that Kerjota's goal would boost the player's confidence. Vrancken also stressed the need to keep the emotion from their recent derby win and channel it into more consistent performances.
The victory came at a cost, exacerbating an already significant injury crisis. Blair Spittal is facing several months out with a leg injury. The list also includes Tom Renaud, Craig Hackett, Stephen Kingsley, and Malachi Fagan-Walcott. Assistant manager Steven Presley admitted the team has faced many enforced changes. In the Dundee camp, Joe Westley suffered a suspected broken cheekbone, while Fin Robertson and Ryan Finnigan also picked up knocks. Fans can track the latest squad availability on the club's injuries page.
This fourth consecutive league win has solidified Heart of Midlothian's position near the top of the table. As of 07 September 2026, the team sits fourth in the Premiership with 9 points from 4 games, recording 3 wins and 1 loss. Their goal difference stands at +6, having scored 10 and conceded 4. Most importantly, the comeback win against Dundee closed the gap to the summit, with the Jambos now just 6 points behind leaders Celtic. The full standings show a tight race developing early in the season.
Vrancken has been clear that new players need time to adapt and have a lot of margin to get better. He specifically mentioned wanting forward Ageu to be integrated into the team as soon as possible. With a thin squad due to injuries, managing player fitness and finding consistent performances will be key. Heart of Midlothian's next match is at home against St Johnstone on September 14th.
