Hibernian held on to beat Hearts 2-1 at Hampden and secure a place in the League Cup final against Rangers. The victory was especially significant for Hibs, who had repeatedly suffered late defeats against their Edinburgh rivals during the previous season.
Hearts took an early lead when Claudio Braga scored with a close-range header after four minutes. Hibernian responded strongly, however, and their pressure and organisation improved as the first half progressed. Martin Boyle and Jamie McGrath scored before the interval, giving Hibs a deserved advantage and marking the first time they had scored twice against Premiership opposition since August.
Hearts pushed forward after the break and created several opportunities. Laurent Mendy shot wide, Braga saw an effort saved and Sabri Guendouz was denied by Raphael Sallinger. The decisive moment came late on, when Jordi Altena found Braga unmarked near goal, but the Hearts forward missed the chance to force extra time.
The result ended a difficult spell for Hibernian, who were bottom of the league, had gone six league matches without a win and had won only once in their previous nine games in all competitions. Their performance also offered a much-needed moment of belief for manager Marink Reedijk, who has only recently taken charge.
Hearts were affected by injuries during the match. Tomas Magnusson was removed after a clash of heads, while Calvin Miller went off with a knee injury. Hibernian survived sustained second-half pressure and threatened on the counter-attack, although Marko Ivezic missed an opportunity to give them greater security.
Hibs celebrated their victory around Hampden as supporters sang “Sunshine on Leith”. They will now face Rangers in the League Cup final, with the performance providing a possible turning point in a season that had brought little encouragement before the derby win.
Sources: BBC Sport.