Hearts secure Conference League spot by drawing with Hibs

Kevin Nisbet's extremity levelled the lucifer astatine Tynecastle but determination would beryllium nary winner

Hearts held connected for a gully with Hibernian to seal a European Conference League qualifying spot and permission Hibs' European destiny successful Celtic's hands.

Cochrane was initially booked and a punishment given, but the Hearts full-back was sent disconnected and a free-kick awarded pursuing a VAR review. Kevin Nisbet scored consecutive from the set-piece.

Hibs pressed hard for a winner, but finishing 5th means they are reliant connected Celtic beating Inverness Caledonian Thistle successful adjacent week's Scottish Cup last to scope the Conference League qualifiers.

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Oda pounced connected a headed clearance pursuing a throw-in and bushed David Marshall astatine his adjacent station with a debased shot.

Hibs were rattled but rode retired a hard opening to get a foothold successful the game.

And their large accidental came aft Nisbet chased and retrieved a agelong ball. It ran escaped to the supporting Cadden, who was taken retired by Cochrane. Hearts thought they were facing a punishment with 11 players but that yet changed to a free-kick with 10. It mattered small to Nisbet, who struck his 12th extremity of the season.

The visitors were present successful the ascendancy and seasoned centre-half Paul Hanlon joined the onslaught to trial Zander Clark from the borderline of the box.

Clark past denied Joe Newell astatine a country pursuing Hanlon's header down and a consequent transportation was nodded wide by Lewis Miller.

That unit continued aft the interruption with Nisbet heading Cadden's transverse wide.

And Clark foiled Hanlon again aft the Hibs antheral powerfully met a country with his head.

Hanlon past crossed for substitute Harry McKirdy to caput wide arsenic clip began to gaffe distant for the visitors.

Elie Youan's changeable was deflected wide with Hearts camped wrong their ain container past Will Fish's header was deflected connected to the station from a Hibs corner.

There were 9 added minutes but the closest Hibs came was a changeable implicit by McKirdy with Hearts doing capable to unafraid 4th spot and marque their rivals hold until adjacent Saturday to observe their European destiny.

With the whistle came disfigured scenes successful the method country arsenic some benches clashed, and it trickled connected to the transportation with players having to beryllium separated.

Player of the lucifer - Zander Clark

The Hearts goalkeeper boosted his Scotland chances with immoderate good saves arsenic nationalist manager Steve Clarke watched connected from the stand

Hearts get implicit the line, conscionable - analysis

For overmuch of the season, the imaginable of finishing 4th would person represented a disappointing extremity for Hearts. However, a dip successful signifier during the 3rd 4th of the play allowed Aberdeen to instrumentality complaint of 3rd and yet led to Robbie Neilson's dismissal arsenic Tynecastle manager.

Finishing 5th was unconscionable but starkly realistic erstwhile Hibs got backmost to 1-1. Seeing retired the last 59 minutes with 10 players renders the play satisfactory and whitethorn conscionable unafraid interim manager Steven Naismith the occupation longer term.

With Celtic beardown favourites to triumph the Scottish Cup and seal a home treble, Hibs volition successful each likelihood articulation Hearts successful the Conference League qualifiers adjacent season, which would beryllium a bully instrumentality successful Lee Johnson's archetypal play arsenic manager.

Johnson's ambition astatine Tynecastle cannot beryllium criticised, with attacking players Liam Henderson, McKirdy and Josh Campbell introduced successful the 2nd half. The winning extremity conscionable would not travel their way.