Hearts 2 – 0 Aberdeen

Hearts made the perfect start to their Premiership campaign with a 2-0 home win over Aberdeen as Dons captain Graeme Shinnie made it a birthday to forget.

Derek McInnes’ side started fast, putting the Scottish Cup holders under early pressure before Shinne marked turning 34 by sending Harry Milne’s low cross into his own net in the 11th minute.

Lawrence Shankland’s wonder strike was ruled out for offside before Kusini Yengi missed a brilliant chance to level the game on his Dons debut.

Jambos’ summer signing Stuart Findlay bundled in their second in the 73rd minute to send them top of the Premiership on goal difference after the opening round of fixtures.

Hearts back up Bloom’s bold ambitions

New shareholder Tony Bloom had inadvertently cranked up the pressure on Derek McInnes’ side with a string of bold declarations, including stating that he felt they could crack the traditional Old Firm stranglehold in Scotland by finishing in the top two this term.

Bloom, who had his name sung by Hearts supporters lapping up his ambitious intentions for their club as he watched on from the main stand, avoided any early egg on his face as the Jambos dug out a deserved victory.

With conditions relatively calm following concerns earlier in the day that the game might fall victim to Storm Floris, Hearts started strongly and made the breakthrough Milne’s low pass turned into the net by the unfortunate Shinnie after Dimitar Mitov had made an excellent save to deny Oisin McEntee.

The Dons’ only clear chance of the first half came in the 16th minute when Yengi knocked a close-range effort against the post.

Shankland had a stunning strike ruled out just before the break after team-mates Frankie Kent and Craig Halkett drifted offside in the build-up.

Aberdeen started the second half with renewed purpose and Yengi spurned a golden opportunity in the 50th minute before Nicolas Milanovic saw an effort saved by Zander Clark.

McInnes, wary of the Dons’ growing threat, made a quadruple substitution and switched from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 in the 70th minute.

The move seemed to work as the Jambos doubled their advantage within three minutes when Findlay arrived at the back post to nod home from close range after Dons defender Mats Knoester was unable to deal with Milne’s inswinging free-kick from the right.

McInnes: ‘Hopefully a lot more of that to come’

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes on Sky Sports:

“What we had was a team absolutely giving everything, fully committed, worked our socks off, real togetherness, played with a lot of intelligence.

“Once we got the second goal, I thought we managed the game really well. There’ll be other games where we can show a bit more calmness and a bit more time to play.

“But I thought tonight we played the game exactly how we needed to against Aberdeen.

“I know we can do better, but the first objective for any team in the first game of the season is going to win the game and that’s what we’ve done. It’s a good start for us.

“I loved seeing Tynecastle the way it was tonight and hopefully there’s a lot more of that to come.”

Thelin: We have to ‘improve and do better’

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin on Sky Sports:

“We still have things to improve and do better.

“Congratulations to them, but we have to be better in some areas of the pitch today. Some parts were okay, but they were better in both boxes.

“They win this, especially in the first half. They win these 50-50 duels and get this momentum of the game and put the ball into our box again.

“We pick up the second balls and create momentum in that way. With the ball, we have to be better.

“I think in the second half, we play better but when we make a mistake, they were there and created chances from that one.”

What’s coming up in the Scottish Premiership?