HEARTS have booked their place in the last eight of the League Cup after scoring twice in the last few minutes to stun sorry Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
Gary Locke’s side seemed set to continue their good run of form, leading 2-1 as the clock ticked into the 90th minute, but a header from Juanma and then an injury time strike from Sam Nicholson saw the Tynecastle side claim an unlikely victory.
Kilmarnock had gone in front with the first real chance of the game after 13 minutes. Greg Kiltie made great progress down the right and his cross was glanced beyond Neil Alexander by Josh Magennis.
The home side then had on-loan goalkeeper Mark Ridgers to thank for keeping out a Sam Nicholson drive and then another effort from Morgaro Gomis after the midfielder had been teed up by Danny Swanson.
Kilmarnock looked the side most likely to score again as play moved into the second half with Magennis having a shot saved while a Steven Smith free kick was also thwarted by Alexander.
Osmain Sow then came close for Hearts and they drew level after 74 minutes when Ozturk drove in a low effort from the edge of the penalty area following a corner.
The visiting fans’ celebrations, however, would be short-lived as five minutes later Magennis fastened on to Kallum Higginbotham’s pass to rifle a shot low into the corner.
There was still time for lashings of more drama. Juanma looked to have taken the tie to extra-time with his header on 90 minutes before the same player’s miskick fell kindly for Nicholson to send Hearts through.
KILMARNOCK (4-2-3-1): Ridgers; O’Hara, Ashcroft, Balatoni, Findlay (Smith 26); Slater, Hamill; Kiltie (Boyd 84), Higginbotham, Obadeyi (Robinson 72); Magennis
Booked: Magennis 39, Smith 45, Slater 62
Scorers: Magennis 13
HEARTS (4-2-3-1): Alexander; Paterson, Augustyn, Ozturk, Rossi; Buaben, Gomis; King (Walker 52), Swanson (Juanma 57), Nicholson; Sow
Booked: Augustyn 42, Buaben 60
Scorers: Ozturk 74, Juanma 90, Nicholson 90+2
Ref: Craig Thomson
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