Hearts manager Wouter Vrancken expressed disbelief after his team suffered a dramatic late collapse at Aberdeen, losing 2-1. The Scottish Premiership side were leading 1-0 heading into the 90th minute but conceded an equalizer from a free-kick and then a penalty, which sealed their defeat. "It's five minutes again that you are losing it and it's unbelievable," Vrancken stated.
The loss marks Hearts' third consecutive defeat, following a significant aggregate loss in Champions League qualifying. Vrancken, who had previously noted his team's struggles with maintaining leads and conceding goals in quick succession, saw a repeat of these issues in Aberdeen.
Hearts took the lead through Oisin McEntee's goal before halftime. Despite controlling the second half, the team conceded a free-kick that led to Lewis Mayo's equalizer. Shortly after, Hearts defender Stuart Findlay was sent off for conceding a penalty, which Aberdeen captain Kevin Nisbet converted.
"You have to show this 'over my dead body' mentality in those last moments. We cannot give these games away," Vrancken emphasized. He added that while the team controlled the game for much of the second half, they were not "smart at the end" and lacked ruthlessness in both boxes.
Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson praised his team's determination, suggesting such a comeback would not have been possible last season. "When I came in, I didn't think we had enough fight," Robinson said.
Nisbet, meanwhile, claimed he should have been credited with Aberdeen's equalizing goal, which was initially awarded to Mayo from a free-kick taken by Stuart Armstrong. "I think it's my goal, but big Mayo is claiming it," Nisbet commented.