Hearts 0-3 Rangers: Alfredo Morelos scores twice in dominant Gers win

Hearts 0-3 Rangers: Alfredo Morelos and Malik Tillman end the hosts’ 10-match unbeaten run as Michael Beale’s side produce a dominant display at Tynecastle

• Alfredo Morelos and Malik Tillman struck in the first half for the dominant visitors
• Morelos added a third in the second half as Rangers cruised to victory
• Michael Beale’s side had three goals disallowed and a penalty overturned 

Hearts have plenty credit in the bank and rightly so. Out on their own as the third force in the land they entered this game on a 10-game unbeaten run with a spring in their step. They had a notion this might be the night their woeful recent record against Rangers improved.

The optimism didn’t take long to make way for a sense of déjà vu. The feeling they’d seen this game many times before.

When Robbie Neilson’s side work up a head of steam they come up against Rangers or Celtic and the momentum proves as flimsy as Nadim Zahawi’s tax return. On nights like this the gap between second and third feels more like a chasm.

With good reason, Rangers have come to like Tynecastle. Trips along the M8 to face a Hearts team on the up invariably end in the administration of a sharp slap or two and the bursting of a bubble.

After a 4-0 win earlier in the season any notions of vengeance for the Gorgie team proved short-lived as Michael Beale’s side coasted to victory through an Alfredo Morelos double and a first half Malik Tillman strike. With another three goals disallowed for offside, the score could have been anything.

Alfredo Morelos scored twice in Rangers dominant victory over Hearts at Tynecastle

Morelos opened the scoring just moments after the forward saw a goal ruled out for offside

The last defeat suffered by the Scottish Cup holders on this old ground was January 2020. A run of 18 games without losing to the Edinburgh side was duly extended by one more with the minimum of fuss. A Hearts coach who gets more right than wrong, Robbie Neilson’s record against Glasgow’s big two is becoming a festering sore.

Hunting in packs Rangers were rampant, forcing their panicked opponents into one forced error after another. Inside the opening 68 minutes Michael Beale’s team had forced the ball into the net six times. Four of the strikes were flagged up for offside, Fashion Sakala denied twice. At the fourth time of asking they were finally granted one for Morelos after a VAR review. The game was well won by then.

In almost every department Hearts were outclassed. Fielding a 3-5-2 formation, with young on-loan Newcastle attacker Garang Kuol a fish out of water in midfield, the hosts were overrun on a chastening when Rangers started like a train and kept going.

By the time Neilson switched to a 4-2-3-1 the game was pretty much gone. Even without new signing Nicolas Raskin – yet to be granted a work permit – Rangers were utterly dominant.

Alfredo Morelos claimed two goals, but could have had more. The Colombian had the ball in the net twice inside the opening nine minutes. While the first was flagged up, the second a fine goal, Ryan Kent taking advantage of Kuol’s lack of concentration to scurry on to a quick free-kick make for the byeline and chip the ball on to the head of Morelos for his eighth goal of the season.

A night which started badly for the home team went downhill fast. A midfield three of Barrie Mckay, Robert Snodgrass and Kuol – making his first start – lacked power and heft.

Malik Tillman doubled Rangers lead in the first half as Hearts were overrun in midfield

Morelos added to Rangers advantage in the second half as the hosts failed to cope

After recent criticism, this was John Lundstram’s most commanding display in weeks. When the Englishman released Morelos to flash a thumping strike wide of the post a ripple of apprehension passed round Tynecastle. A long night lay in wait.

Hearts threatened with their first attack when a sharp breakaway saw Kuol feed Barrie McKay, Allan McGregor pulling off a fine block with his legs. Hopes of a foothold in the game provd short-lived. It was a false dawn.

Inside half an hour Rangers had breached the home defence three times. Like a hot knife through butter they cut through once more for Sakala to roll the ball into the net, video assistant Kevin Clancy backing up the second offside flag of the night.

A switch of formation changed the Hearts shape, but not the relentless one way traffic of the game. Zander Clark made a timely save to keep Sakala’s sidefoot effort out, but Rangers were relentless.

The second goal arrived after 34 minutes and flattered the team in blue not one jot. Bornaa Barisic swung a probing cross towards the back post, the ball headed back into the mixer by the lurking Connor Goldson. Malik Tillman hooked in from 12 yards and it was game over.

Neilson had to try something. As one sided a game as you’ll see, the Hearts boss replaced the floundering pair of Kuol and James Hill and introduced Alan Forrest and Orestis Kiomourtzoglou.

Forrest struck the outside of the upright in a start to the second half which proved a false dawn. After the rampant wins over Aberdeen and Hibs Hearts lacked more than power and attacking menace here. They looked like a team utterly drained of belief in the first half.

Rangers saw three goals ruled out for offside and a penalty overturned after a VAR review

Michael Beale’s side remain nine points behind leaders Celtic despite the comfortable victory

Robbie Neilson saw his side’s 10-match unbeaten run come to an abrupt end at home

MATCH FACTS

Hearts (3-5-2): Clark 6; Hill 3 (Forrest 45 4), Rowles 5, Sibbick 6; Cochrane 4, Kingsley 5, Snodgrass 5, McKay 4, Ginnelly 4 (Oda 72); Kuol 3 (Kio 45 4), Shankland 6. 

Subs not used: Stewart, Grant, Atkinson, Halliday, Neilson, McLuckie, 

Scorer: 

Booked: Hill, Snodgrass, Cochrane

Manager: Robbie Neilson

Rangers (4-3-3): McGregor 7; Tavernier 7, Goldson 7, Davies 6 , Barisic 7 ; Lundstram 8 (Lowry 89), Kamara 7, Tillman 7 (Jack 75); Sakala 7 (Wright 83), Morelos 7 (Colak 76), Kent 6 (Cantwell 75)

Subs not used: McLaughlin, Sands, King, Devine

Scorer: Morelos 9′, 68′, Tillman 34

Booked: Barisic, Lundstram, Kent

Manager: Michael Beale

Referee: John Beaton

Attendance: 18,330

Their only respite came from video technology. When Ryan Kent tumbled in the area after a challenge from Alex Cochrane referee John Beaton pointed to the spot. After a lengthy review in the control room he was urged to take a look at the pitchside monitor. A quick review confirmed that Kent had dived, the penalty cancelled as the winger was shown a yellow card.

Sakala had yet another goal chalked off after 56 minutes. When Morelos sidefooted into the net from close range 10 minutes later an ironic chant of ‘it’s a conspiracy’ went up from the away support. It lasted as long as it took for VAR to decide that, this time, the flag was an error. Rangers had their third goal at last. A trademark Morelos knee-slide in front of the home fans went down as well as you might expect.

Hearts ran around a bit to try and save some pride. Lawrence Shankland flicked Toby Sibbick’s low cross over the crossbar to oohs and aahs. A VAR review, meanwhile, looked at a claim for handball against Connor Goldson – who else? Not for the first time this season the defender was given the benefit of the doubt.

By the time the flag went up for seven minutes of added time the home stands were virtually empty. For Hearts a run of 10 games unbeaten was over. On a sobering night of basic errors Rangers restored normal service with some relish.

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