Hearts manager Wouter Vrancken branded his side’s late collapse at Aberdeen as unbelievable after they threw away a lead in the final moments to lose at Pittodrie.
Oisin McEntee’s opener had Hearts 1-0 up and seemingly on course for the club’s first win at the ground in ten years. But a cheaply conceded free-kick allowed Lewis Mayo to equalise, and just 33 seconds later referee David Dickinson awarded a penalty that Aberdeen captain Kevin Nisbet converted to secure all three points.
Defender Stuart Findlay was then sent off in added time for bringing down Toyosi Olusanya in the area, deepening the misery for the Tynecastle side.
Vrancken, who is now preparing to face Benfica in Europa League action on Thursday, said the defeat was a repeat of a pattern that has haunted his team. He said it was clinical again, five minutes again that you are losing it, and described the feeling as unbelievable. He urged his players to show an “over my dead body” mentality in the closing stages of matches and said they cannot keep giving games away.
The Belgian said the first half was not good enough in terms of quality on the ball, but that he was happy with the team’s control in the second period until the final five minutes. He said they were not ruthless enough in both boxes and that the manner of the defeat was so disappointing.
The loss is Hearts’ third in a row following a six-goal aggregate defeat to Sturm Graz in Champions League qualifying.
Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson said the late comeback reflected the changes he has demanded since taking charge at the end of last season, adding that such a result would not have happened under previous management.
