A well-worked goal from Callum Slattery earned 10-man Motherwell a 1-0 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle as the visitors joined Celtic on 10 points at the top of the cinch Premiership.
Slattery finished off a brilliant move in the 29th minute before the VAR officials reversed an offside decision against him.
Hearts pinned Motherwell back for the vast majority of the second half but could not find an equaliser despite Paul McGinn’s 69th-minute red card.
The home side rarely tested Motherwell goalkeeper Liam Kelly, partly thanks to an outstanding performance from visiting centre-back Bevis Mugabi.
Motherwell have now gone 10 league games unbeaten stretching back to last season and added Tynecastle to the list of away grounds where they have got results from – they remain unbeaten in the Premiership on the road in more than six months under Stuart Kettlewell.
Hearts made three changes following their 4-0 defeat by PAOK in Greece on Thursday while Harry Paton replaced Joe Efford in the Motherwell team after netting a late winner against Kilmarnock.
Both sides showed an attacking intent from the off but it was Motherwell who were making the opposition goalkeeper work.
Zander Clark tipped over efforts from Mugabi and Blair Spittal before the visitors took the lead.
Slattery and Spittal cut Hearts open as they exchanged passes following Stephen O’Donnell’s diagonal ball and the former Southampton midfielder slotted the ball home in yards of space.
Slattery almost scored an even better goal moments later after winning a tackle just inside his own half and launching a shot which beat Clark but just cleared the bar.
The frustration among the Hearts fans was audible in the aftermath of the goal and their mood might have grown worse only for Peter Haring to survive strong penalty claims for handball.
Alex Lowry had several first-half efforts for the hosts but his most dangerous effort was blocked by O’Donnell.
The on-loan Rangers player was taken off at half-time along with fellow wide player Yutaro Oda as Hearts moved to a back three to match Motherwell. Defender Tony Sibbick and striker Kyosuke Tagawa came on.
Kelly came out to stop Lawrence Shankland getting on the end of a through ball immediately after the restart and Spittal and Tagawa missed good chances at either end.
Hearts began to pin Motherwell back but the visiting defence diverted efforts from Shankland and Liam Boyce over the bar.
Any chance Motherwell had of changing the momentum disappeared in the 69th minute when McGinn hauled down Boyce after the striker got in front of him as he chased a long ball.
The former Hibernian player claimed he had his own shirt pulled but there was no recourse for overturning his second yellow card. He had been booked in the first half for a foul on Alex Cochrane.
Motherwell suffered more disruption when Slattery limped off. Davor Zdravkovski came on and former Hibernian forward Oli Shaw soon joined him for his debut.
Kelly produced his first save in the 86th minute as Shankland’s effort bounced off the ground and Motherwell survived seven minutes of stoppage-time thanks to more resolute defending.
Vinicius 'proving he's one of the best in the world', says Carvajal
Vinicius Junior has come on leaps and bounds and is proving himself as one of the best players in the world, according to Real Madrid team-mate Dani Carvajal.
The pair are gearing up for Madrid's mouth-watering Champions League semi-final second leg against fellow European heavyweights Bayern Munich, with the tie finely poised at 2-2.
Vinicius scored both goals for Carlo Ancelotti's side in last week's first leg, taking him to 31 goal involvements (16 goals, 15 assists) in the Champions League since the start of the 2021-22 season, more than any other player during that time.
And Carvajal says the strides made by the 23-year-old are evident.
"He's improved in every aspect - his finishing, physically, his maturity when playing, knowing when it's right to attack the space or to ask for the ball to be played to his feet," the full-back told reporters during the pre-match press conference.
"He's one of the best players in the world, and he's proving that. We know that he puts in a lot of work away from [the training ground], having his training sessions, physio and coaching.
"All of this is helping him to be one of the best in the world. Hopefully, he can help us on the pitch [in the second leg] and see us through."
The most successful side in the competition's history, Madrid are aiming to remain on course for a 15th European crown, while Ancelotti targets a record-extending sixth appearance in the final as a manager.
"There's not much more to say when the time comes to play the second leg of a semi-final in your home stadium," Carvajal added. "The motivation of the match itself ensures that your attention level is at its highest.
"We know that we're up against a side with a history in this competition [six titles], so we have to attempt to beat them and reach the final."
Kick-off time set for World Cup qualifier against Dominican Republic as Reggae Boyz face bust schedule
CONCACAF has officially announced the kick-off time for Jamaica's highly anticipated opening match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against the Dominican Republic. The game is set to take place at the National Stadium in Kingston on June 6, with kick-off scheduled for 6:30 pm local time.
This pivotal match marks the beginning of Jamaica's journey towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup, igniting hopes and dreams across the island. Jamaican football enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating this clash as the Boyz aim to make a strong start on home soil against the Dominican Republic.
The announcement of the kick-off time is just the first step in what promises to be an eventful campaign for Jamaica's national team. Alongside the World Cup qualifiers, Jamaica will also participate in the prestigious Copa America in June, where they will face tough opposition in Mexico, Ecuador, and Venezuela during the group stage.
Following the World Cup qualifiers and Copa America, Jamaica's focus will shift towards the 2024/2025 edition of the CONCACAF Nations League, illustrating the team's packed schedule and determination to excel on both regional and international fronts.
Looking ahead, the upcoming World Cup Qualifier against the Dominican Republic sets the stage for an exciting period of football for Jamaica, with the team poised to showcase their talent and passion as they strive to secure a spot in the global spotlight of the FIFA World Cup.
Details regarding ticket prices, ticket purchasing, and media accreditation for the match will be provided in due course, ensuring that fans and media alike can fully immerse themselves in this thrilling chapter of Jamaican football history.
Dortmund have flown under the radar to reach Champions League final, says Terzic
Borussia Dortmund have benefited from going under the radar during their "unbelievable road" to the Champions League final, according to head coach Edin Terzic.
The Black and Yellow will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the showpiece on June 1, following a hard-earned 2-0 aggregate win over Paris Saint-Germain in the last four.
Dortmund came into this season on the back of a bitter Bundesliga title loss on the final matchday of the previous campaign, with a 2-2 draw against Mainz handing the title to Bayern on goal difference.
While Terzic's side have been unable to launch a genuine challenge on the domestic front this term - currently occupying fifth place and 24 points adrift of newly crowned champions Bayer Leverkusen - it has been a different story in Europe.
"There is always a team that no one has on their radar that reaches the quarter-finals or the semi-finals," he said. "We wanted to be the team that were not necessarily on anyone's radar. That road has been unbelievable."
Indeed, it has. Dortmund began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat at PSG and goalless draw at home to Milan, but recovered to top Group F before seeing off PSV and Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
The 1997 Champions League winners then produced a defensive masterclass across both legs of their semi-final with PSG, to reach their first final since 2013.
"After the second matchday, almost no one believed in us any more," said captain Emre Can, who made his 50th Champions League appearance during the second leg at Parc des Princes.
"We only had one point after two matches, but we kept believing and that was the most important thing. Keeping two clean sheets in two matches against PSG is no mean feat."
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