Hearts extended their league winning run to four matches with a dramatic 2-1 comeback against Dundee at Tynecastle, as Sabah Kerjota scored his first goal for the club deep into stoppage time.
Dundee led at half-time and Hearts were still behind with six minutes of normal time left, but Claudio Braga converted a penalty before Kerjota supplied the decisive moment in the 96th minute. The result lifted Hearts to second in the Scottish Premiership, three points behind Celtic, according to reports.
Wouter Vrancken was clear afterwards that the performance was not complete. The Hearts head coach accepted that his side's first half fell below the required level, while stressing that their response to conceding showed the temperament needed by a team aiming to stay among the leading group.
A result that supports, rather than settles, the argument
The late turnaround offered the most persuasive evidence yet for Vrancken's view that his new-look Hearts side are progressing. Winning after a poor opening period is different from simply overpowering an opponent: it requires calm when the game is moving away, substitutes or squad players capable of changing its course, and enough belief to keep attacking under pressure.
That resilience mattered particularly after the midweek derby victory at Easter Road. Vrancken's concern was that dropping points immediately afterwards would have diluted the value and momentum of that result. Instead, Hearts emerged with another win, albeit through a far more uncomfortable route.
There is, however, a distinction between demonstrating resilience and establishing control. Hearts did not turn in a performance that removes questions over their consistency. Vrancken identified the concession as avoidable, and the need for a late penalty and a 96th-minute winner underlined how close Dundee came to leaving Edinburgh with the result.
That is why the manager's insistence that there is further room to improve carries weight. Hearts have collected points while still looking like a side whose combinations, personnel and rhythm are developing. The immediate challenge is to reduce the occasions on which character is required to rescue a match.
Kerjota's breakthrough fits a wider rebuild
Kerjota's decisive intervention also has significance beyond one goal. Reports have portrayed him as a player who needed time to acclimatise after arriving through the recruitment model associated with Jamestown Analytics. His first Hearts goal may not settle his position in the side, but it gives Vrancken another attacking option at a point when the club is attempting to spread responsibility following a summer of major change.
Multiple reports have highlighted the departures of former head coach Derek McInnes, captain Lawrence Shankland and midfielder Cammy Devlin, among others. Replacing the influence and output of established figures was never likely to be accomplished by one signing or one tactical adjustment.
Instead, Hearts appear to be seeking contributions from players at different stages of their development. Braga took responsibility from the spot at the critical point against Dundee, while Kerjota came up with the final action. Elsewhere in the squad, players who had featured less prominently last season have reportedly taken on greater roles.
That broader distribution could become one of Vrancken's most important achievements. Shankland's departure left a conspicuous goalscoring gap, and no individual can be expected automatically to reproduce what he offered. If Hearts can consistently find decisive moments from several forwards and midfielders, the transition becomes more sustainable than a search for a single replacement.
Midfield injuries expose the next test
The encouraging mood is tempered by an increasingly awkward issue in midfield. Hearts were already missing Tom Renaud and Eduardo Ageu, and Blair Spittal is expected to be absent for months after suffering a shin injury in the derby. Vrancken also lost the possibility of moving Oisin McEntee further forward during the Dundee match after he felt a problem at half-time.
This is not merely a question of available bodies. Midfield is where Hearts must balance the energy that fuelled their late push against Dundee with the control absent in the first half. A thin group can make it harder to rotate, particularly after demanding matches, and can force tactical compromises before a match has even begun.
Reports suggest Vrancken sees internal solutions as unavoidable rather than optional. That may create opportunities for squad members, but it also tests the depth of a rebuilding project that has been praised for identifying value in less obvious markets. Recruitment success is judged not only by a late winner from a new arrival, but by whether a squad can absorb a cluster of absences without losing its structure.
Dundee show why context matters
Dundee's disappointment should not be overlooked in assessing Hearts' comeback. Steven Pressley's side suffered a succession of setbacks during the game, with Joe Westley suspected to have fractured a cheekbone, Ryan Finnigan injuring an ankle, Finlay Robertson sustaining a knee problem and Zan Besir sent off late on.
Those disruptions help explain why Dundee could not quite protect their lead, while also adding context to the competitiveness of their display. Pressley acknowledged areas his side must improve, especially in possession, but praised their willingness to fight through a difficult afternoon.
For Hearts, the final picture is encouraging but unfinished. Four consecutive league wins and second place provide a strong platform, while the Dundee victory revealed both the mentality Vrancken wants and the flaws he still needs to address. Kerjota's breakthrough brought the celebration; the midfield situation and uneven opening hour ensure the work behind it is only beginning.