It is 40 years and a day exactly since Hearts crashed to that excruciating, inexplicable and infamous 2-0 defeat to Dundee up at Dens Park when they needed just a point to be crowned Scottish champions.
This stunning 2-1 win over Rangers at Tynecastle tonight suggested the capital club, who are now three points clear of Celtic at the top of the William Hill Premiership table with just three games remaining, will not suffer the same sorry fate this time around.
Derek McInnes’ side fell behind to Dany Rohl’s team when they conceded a first half goal to Dujon Sterling – but they fought back valiantly and claimed a massive and deserved victory thanks to second half Stephen Kingsley and Lawrence Shankland strikes.
The resolve they exhibited this evening indicated they have the minerals required to maintain their advantage and land their first top flight title since way back in 1960.
They have a +32 goal difference and could effectively wrap up the silverware if they beat Motherwell away on Saturday and Falkirk at home the following Wednesday as their nearest challengers, who they take on a Parkhead in their final game, currently stand at +27.
Rangers, meanwhile, are seven points behind the leaders following their collapse and look set to finish the 2025/26 campaign trophyless.
Here are five talking points from an epic encounter.
Hearts attack
McInnes had hoped that Harry Milne and Cammy Devlin would both be available for this crucial outing. But neither man made the squad. Alex Kyziridis and Islam Chesnokov came in for Jordi Altena and Pierre Landry Kabore.
Hearts picked up where they had left off against Hibernian at Easter Road, dominating possession and applying pressure to their opponents’ backline. But they struggled to create the number of scoring chances which they had carved out against their nine man city rivals in Leith.
Craig Halkett could and really should have broken the deadlock when he rose and got on the end of a Marc Leonard free-kick in the 11th minute. But the centre-half headed over the crossbar. Hearts would soon come to rue that squandered opportunity. It was the last time they seriously threatened in the first half.
Sterling work
Rohl made four changes to the starting line-up which had taken to the field in the 3-2 defeat to Motherwell – James Tavernier, Mohammed Diomande, Mikey Moore and Andreas Skov Olsen came in as Jayden Meghoma, Djeidi Gassama, Thelo Aasgaard and Bojan Miovski dropped out.
That minor surgery saw Sterling shunted from right-back to left-back. It was not a position which the versatile Englishman has featured in much during his time in this country. But it proved to be an inspired switch.
Sterling silenced the home support at a long Tavernier throw. Stuart Findlay headed the ball on to him and the defender struck a volley which deflected off the outstretched leg of Michael Steinwender, bounced off the turf and arched over the head of goalkeeper Alex Schwolow.
There was more than a touch of good fortune about the opener. But they capitalised fully on poor defending. It was an innocuous looking delivery which should have been easily dealt with.
The tiny pocket of Rangers supporters who were celebrating at the other end of the pitch were not caring a jot.
Skov Olsen return
The Danish internationalist made his return to the Rangers side after recovering from the quad injury that had sidelined him for most of April and slotted in to the right of a front three that also comprised Mikey Moore and Youssef Chermiti.
The 40-times capped 26-year-old has been a desperate disappointment since joining from VfL Wolfsburg on loan in January.
His club really needed him to finally show why he has played at such a high level in Italy, Belgium and Germany and add some creativity and penetration to their efforts going forward.
He failed to find Tochi Chukwuani inside him when the visitors made an early foray upfield and then contributed precious little thereafter. Moore, fresh from being named PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year, was far livelier and much more involved.
Skov Olsen made way for Gassama with 20 minutes or so remaining having failed to justify his selection.
Spittal impact
The Sterling goal put a definite spring in the step of the Rangers players. They were composed on the ball and assumed complete control of proceedings without ever really looking like increasing their lead.
McInnes had to do something at half-time to get Hearts back into the match and he duly did so by removing the ineffectual Chesnokov and throwing on Blair Spittal. The substitution had the desired effect.
Claudio Braga tested Jack Butland for the first time seven minutes into the second half and the hosts levelled shortly afterwards. Kyziridis hit the left upright but Kingsley was perfectly positioned to prod home the rebound. It was Spittal who had initiated the attack.
Scorer then turned provider. Kingsley cut the ball back to the edge of the Rangers area and skipper Shankland met it with a powerful first-time shot which found the bottom left corner. That ultimately proved to be the winner.
Gorgie cauldron
This match between these fierce Edinburgh and Glasgow rivals was a great occasion which will live long in the memory of everyone, of the Hearts fans anyway, who was present.
Every seat in the old Gorgie ground was filled long before kick-off and the home supporters waved their maroon and white scarves and flags above their heads as the teams came out of the tunnel.
Every pass that was completed, every header that was won, every tackle that went flying in, every foul that was committed was cheered and booed from kick-off to the final whistle. It was, unsurprisingly given the importance of victory to both sides, not especially pleasing on the eye. But the intensity was off the charts.
The only negative was the limited number of travelling fans who were allowed in to the Roseburn Stand. Followers of the Ibrox club received just 576 briefs for one of the biggest games of the 2025/26 campaign. The SPFL should seriously consider introduce a universal five per cent rule for to away allocations.
