January signing Elton Kabangu helped himself to another double as Hearts stepped up their pursuit of a top-six place in the William Hill Premiership with a hard-fought 2-1 victory away to bottom side St Johnstone.
The Belgian forward bounced back from missing a string of chances in the previous weekend’s 3-1 defeat by Rangers to take his tally to seven since his arrival on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise last month as he notched either side of an equaliser from Adama Sidibeh.
It was Kabangu’s third brace in just six starts for the Jambos, who are now up to seventh and within a point of sixth-place St Mirren after being bottom of the league as recently as December 22.
Instead it is Saints – after a third successive 2-1 defeat by Hearts this term – who languish six points adrift of Dundee at the foot of the table, although they were entitled to rue a stunning game-changing save from goalkeeper Craig Gordon to deny Sam Curtis with the match poised at 1-1.
There was some doubt about whether the game would go ahead, with the pitch sodden after heavy rainfall in Perth but referee Calum Scott deemed it playable after an inspection.
Saints boss Simo Valakari made two changes to the team that lost 3-1 at Kilmarnock as Sidibeh and Graham Carey replaced Makenzie Kirk and Victor Griffith, while Hearts boss Neil Critchley started with the same side that lost to Rangers.
The grim conditions and stodgy pitch caused problems for both teams in the early stages before the Edinburgh side – after wayward shots from Jorge Grant and Blair Spittal – gradually started to get on top.
The first shot on target came for the visitors on the half-hour when James Wilson burst down the right and cut the ball back for Grant, whose effort from 10 yards out was brilliantly pushed behind by goalkeeper Andy Fisher. Kabangu then fizzed a low angled shot just wide.
The Belgian was not to be denied, however, and he made the breakthrough in the 36th minute when he slid in to turn the ball home from close range after Lawrence Shankland received possession from James Penrice, turned in the box and drilled a low angled ball across the face of goal. It was checked for offside and looked extremely tight but was allowed to stand.
Saints had offered little as an attacking force in the first half but they got themselves level in the 53rd minute when Carey crossed from the left and Sidibeh peeled off Jamie McCart to dive and head home at the far post.
The hosts almost went ahead three minutes later when Stephen Duke-McKenna – on as a replacement for Elliot Watt – crossed from the left for Curtis, who was denied from point-blank range by a brilliant instinctive save from Gordon.
It proved a pivotal moment as Hearts restored their lead within a minute when a pass from Shankland sent Kabangu clean through and the 27-year-old drove low beyond the exposed Fisher from 12 yards out.
The Tynecastle side had to dig deep in the closing stages, with Saints wing-back Drey Wright having a header ruled out for offside before Carey screwed a shot wide from close range, but they held firm to climb from 10th to seventh.
[(Gangwon FC) Strength]: 1. Last season in the Korean FA Cup, Gangwon FC were eliminated in the Round of 16. This season, the team have made a breakthrough so far and have advanced to the semi-finals. In this second leg, they will play at home and have a strong desire to win.2. Lee Ji Ho, a forward of Gangwon FC, has had limited playing time this season. However, he has maintained high offensive e...
[(Everton F.C.) Strength]: 1. On August 24th, in the 2nd round of the Premier League, Everton F.C. secured a comfortable 2-0 home victory over Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., with Jack Grealish providing two assists and putting in an impressive performance.2. Everton F.C. kept unbeaten in the last 3 Premier League home games with 2 wins and 1 draw, showing excellent performances.3. Everton F.C. h...
[(Nagoya Grampus) Strength]: 1. Nagoya Grampus are on a 2-game losing streak. They are motivated to win this home game to boost their morale.2. Soichiro Mori scored a goal and made an assist in the last game, showing outstanding form.3. Nagoya Grampus secured a 3-game winning streak in their last 3 encounters between both sides, giving them a better mentality.[(Nagoya Grampus) Neutral]: 1. Nagoya ...
[(Grimsby Town F.C.) Strength]: 1. Grimsby Town F.C. player Jaze Kabia scored in the last game, with reliable form.2. Grimsby Town F.C. drew 1-1 against Accrington Stanley in the last game, but they still kept unbeaten among all events in the new season, being in stable form.3. Grimsby Town F.C.'s home performance was outstanding. They won all the last 3 home games.4. Grimsby Town F.C. have a good...
[(FC Machida Zelvia) Strength]: 1. FC Machida Zelvia are undoubtedly motivated to win this home game to qualify for the semi-finals.2. Yuki Soma scored 10 goals and made 6 assists across all competitions this season, being important on the team's offense.3. FC Machida Zelvia drew 0-0 with Yokohama F. Marinos in the last game. They were unbeaten with 11 wins and 1 draw in the last 12 games, showing...
[(Reading F.C.) Strength]: 1. Reading F.C. are playing in the EFL League One this season and are on a 3-game winless run lately. They need to return to winning ways, indicating full motivation in this game.2. Lewis Wing scored a goal and made an assist in the last game, helping the team tie with Wycombe Wanderers F.C.3. Reading F.C. won the last 2 games in AH, revealing recent performances in line...
[(Sheffield Wed) Strength]: 1. Sheffield Wed have a rather impressive track record in the EFL Cup. In the first round of this season, they defeated Bolton Wanderers F.C., another team from the EFL Championship, and have posted 3 wins and 2 draws in their last 5 EFL Cup games.2. Sheffield Wed lost only 1 of the last 5 games in AH with stable performances. They ended all the last 4 games with OVER.[...
[(Eintracht Braunschweig) Strength]: 1. As a 2. Bundesliga side, Eintracht Braunschweig have made a solid start to the new season. Having been eliminated in the first round of the DFB-Pokal in each of the past two seasons, the team will undoubtedly be eager to achieve a better performance when they compete in the tournament again this season. Therefore, they will be full of determination when faci...
[(Sturm Graz) Strength]: 1. Sturm Graz suffered a crushing defeat in the first leg on the road. In this home match, they have to go all out to attack, with full motivation to win.2. Sturm Graz midfielder Otar Kiteishvili scored 4 goals in three league games this season, performing excellently in the league. As the starting forward of the team, his performance in this match is worth keeping an eye ...
[(Burnley) Strength]: 1. Burnley's key midfielder Josh Cullen not only opened the scoring for the team in the last game but also provided an assist, emerging as the biggest contributor to the victory with an outstanding individual performance.2. Burnley claimed a comfortable 2-0 win over Sunderland in their last game, securing their first victory of the new Premier League season and boosting the t...
- 1 Ruben Amorim gives cryptic response when asked about Andre Onana returning to starting XI for Fulham clash after Altay Bayindir blunder handed Arsenal victory
- 2 'Victory Bodes Well for Future' – Gasperini Delighted with Roma’s Opening Day Win
- 3 TIPS - Eintracht Frankfurt VS Werder Bremen
- 4 Transfer rumors, news: Arsenal could turn to Lyon's Fofana
- 5 Antony’s Man United Exit Hopes Rest on Fresh Real Betis Bid Within 'Next 24 Hours'
- 6 TIPS - Cerezo Osaka VS Vissel Kobe
- 7 TIPS - Gamba Osaka VS Yokohama FC
- 8 TIPS - Schalke 04 VS VfL Bochum
- 9 TIPS - Sunderland A.F.C. VS Huddersfield Town A.F.C.
- 10 TIPS - Olympique de Marseille VS Paris FC