Hearts emerged victorious with a 2-1 win over St Johnstone in a hard-fought Scottish Premiership match. Elton Kabangu was the star of the show, scoring twice for Hearts and bringing his tally to seven goals since joining on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise. Kabangu's goals bracketed an equalizer from St Johnstone's Adama Sidibeh, as Hearts managed to navigate challenging conditions to claim the win.
The match, held in Perth, saw a sodden pitch after heavy rainfall. Despite the grim conditions, referee Calum Scott deemed the surface playable following an inspection. Hearts' victory boosts them to seventh in the league table, just one point shy of sixth-place St Mirren. Meanwhile, St Johnstone remain anchored at the bottom, six points adrift of Dundee.
St Johnstone showed early promise with their first shot on target arriving at the half-hour mark. James Wilson made an incisive run down the right and set up Grant, whose effort was brilliantly turned behind by Hearts' goalkeeper Andy Fisher. Moments later, Stephen Duke-McKenna crossed for Curtis, but an instinctive save from Craig Gordon denied St Johnstone a lead.
Adama Sidibeh brought St Johnstone back into contention with a header in the 53rd minute after a precise cross from Graham Carey. The equalizer, however, did not deter Hearts, who found their rhythm once more through Kabangu's second goal. His third double for the club came in just six starts, underscoring his impact since joining last month.
A critical moment unfolded with the match delicately poised at 1-1. Hearts' goalkeeper Craig Gordon delivered a stunning save to deny Sam Curtis, preserving the scoreline and setting the stage for Kabangu's decisive strike. The visitors were forced to dig deep in the closing stages as they held on to secure the victory.
Hearts have now recorded three successive 2-1 wins over St Johnstone this season. The consistent performance against their opponents highlights their resilience and determination to climb higher in the table.
Leave a Reply