Stuart Findlay's Late Goals Secure Victory for Hearts Against Dundee United
Stuart Findlay's two second-half goals, including a dramatic winner in the 94th minute, stunned Dundee United and ensured Hearts maintained their perfect start to the Scottish Premiership season.
The thrilling match at Tannadice concluded with a dramatic flourish as Findlay headed in Alexandros Kyziridis' corner during stoppage time, sealing the victory for Hearts.
This marked Findlay's fourth goal of the season, as he had previously equalized for Hearts with a powerful strike into the top corner shortly after the break.
The result was particularly heart-wrenching for a depleted Dundee United side, who had battled back from a goal down to take the lead.
Lawrence Shankland opened the scoring with a penalty after Findlay was fouled by Iurie Iovu, but Dundee United's Ivan Dolcek quickly turned the tide. The Croatian curled in a free-kick just three minutes after Shankland's opener and then scored again at the near post before halftime.
Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark managed to get a hand to both of Dolcek's efforts but was frustrated not to have kept them out. Fortunately for Clark, Findlay's two expertly executed headers from corners redeemed the situation.
With this victory, Hearts have won both of their league matches so far, in addition to four League Cup victories, providing a perfect start for manager Derek McInnes at Tynecastle.
As for Dundee United, they are set to focus on European competition on Thursday, but after this match, they have only managed to secure a single point from their previous outing against Falkirk.
Key Takeaways
If not for Findlay's heroics, the errors made by Clark in conceding both of United's goals would have been the main talking point, especially given the limited goalkeeping options in Scotland. Clark's immediate embrace of Findlay after the match indicated his acknowledgment of this fact.
However, the accolades belong to Findlay, who has been a vital player for McInnes since his time at Kilmarnock. His presence in the box was disruptive, first drawing a penalty and then scoring two impressive headers.
Notable Performances
In addition to Findlay's standout display for Hearts, Harry Milne and Braga also shone. Milne impressed with his energetic play and precise deliveries from left wing-back, while Braga contributed quality moments in the final third.
Dundee United also had notable performances, particularly from Dolcek, who now has three goals for the club after initially struggling in his early appearances. Midfielder Panutche Camara, who was substituted in the 65th minute, delivered another commendable performance, winning back possession six times—more than any other player—and providing the assist for Dolcek's second goal.
Noteworthy Statistics
Findlay's four goals this season match his total from the previous five years and five months combined.
Dolcek's goals had expected goals ratings of 0.134 and 0.042, indicating that the goalkeeper could have performed better despite the quality of the strikes.
Dolcek is the first player to score in his first two top-flight games for Dundee United since Opta began tracking such data in 2005.
Harry Milne created four chances, the most of any Hearts player in the match.
Panutche Camara has recorded two assists in his first two Premiership games.