Article body analysed
Football
Hearts
vs Falkirk. Scottish Premiership.
3: 00pm, Saturday 27th September 2025.
Tynecastle Attendance: Attendance18, 919.
Report as Hearts beat Falkirk 3-0 to move top of the Scottish Premiership; Alexandros Kyziridis opened the scoring; Lawrence Shankland made it two to become the SPFL's highest scorer; Craig Halkett headed in their third; Falkirk sit 10th in the table Saturday 27 September 2025 18: 35, UK Rampant Hearts moved two points clear of Celtic at the top of the Premiership after Alexandros Kyziridis' wonder strike sent them on the way to a 3-0 victory over Falkirk at Tynecastle. The Greek winger - one of several new signings unearthed for the Edinburgh club by data firm Jamestown Analytics over the summer - broke the deadlock with an audacious effort midway through the first half. Captain Lawrence Shankland then fired home his third goal in two games before defender Craig Halkett headed the third early in the second half. As Hearts cruised towards a victory that ensured they will enter October as league leaders, their buoyant supporters chanted "bring on the Hibees" in anticipation of next Saturday evening's Edinburgh derby at home to Hibernian. The Bairns threatened in the first minute when Calvin Miller's low shot from just inside the box forced Alexander Schwolow into a save. But Hearts soon started to seize control and Harry Milne went close in the 10th minute when he headed just wide after meeting Stephen Kingsley's cross from the left at the back post. Stuart Findlay then stepped out of defence and unleashed a powerful low strike that was tipped behind by Scott Bain, with Claudio Braga glancing the resulting corner into the goalkeeper's arms.
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The deadlock was broken in spectacular fashion in the 22nd minute when Kyziridis picked up possession wide on the left, waltzed away from two Falkirk players and arced an audacious finish high beyond Bain from 25 yards out. Hearts' tails were up and they had a good chance to strike again three minutes later but Braga blazed over after being set up inside the box by Kyziridis. Kyziridis was then denied by an excellent save from Bain as he slid in to meet Milne's cross from the right just a couple of yards out. The Jambos doubled their advantage in the 41st minute when Shankland dispossessed Henry Cartwright and rifled an emphatic low finish beyond the reach of Bain from just outside the box for his 163rd goal in the Scottish Professional Football League. It took the Hearts skipper ahead of Rory Mc Allister as the highest scorer since the incarnation of the SPFL in 2013. Mc Glynn made a double change for the start of the second half, with Gary Oliver and Scott Arfield sent on in place of Cartwright and Ethan Williams. But the hosts continued on the front foot after the break, with Shankland denied by another brilliant save from Bain after being set up by Kyziridis. And from the resulting corner, Hearts stretched their lead in the 48th minute when Halkett headed home Kyziridis' delivery. There was to be no way back for Falkirk as Mc Innes' increasingly sure-footed side closed out victory in impressive fashion. Hearts head coach Derek Mc Innes speaking to Sky Sports News: "We're just delighted to be winning. "Obviously, we're only six games in and the league's still in its infancy. I think normally, as I said before, you make it through two rounds of fixtures and you've played every side, home and away. "Then teams normally get a sense of where you're going to be at, whether you're in a relegation fight, fighting for top-six, Europe, and the team's at the top end of it. "We're a million miles away still from where I want us to be, and we're a million miles away from people genuinely thinking that, let's be honest. "We're just enjoying the win and hopefully we can keep improving. " Super 6 are starting the season by guaranteeing a £1, 000, 000 winner! Play for free.
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