Aberdeen Stuns Hearts with Late Goals by Mayo and Nisbet

In the Scottish Premiership opener at Pittodrie, two stoppage-time goals propelled Aberdeen to a surprising 2-1 victory over Hearts on August 1, 2026. Despite leading with Oisin McEntee’s first-half goal, Hearts lost their grip on the match as Lewis Mayo equalized in the 90th minute and Kevin Nisbet secured the win with a penalty following Stuart Findlay's red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Hearts faced a miserable start to the season to match their tumultuous summer, where they were unable to clinch a win against Aberdeen despite some promising moments earlier in the match. Having taken over as manager in June, Wouter Vrancken found himself with another disappointing outcome, making it three consecutive defeats. Meanwhile, Aberdeen's manager, Stephen Robinson, introduced Chris Cadden into the starting eleven just a day after his arrival from Hibernian.

Hearts made several adjustments to their lineup, resulting in five changes since their loss against Sturm Graz in the Champions League. New goalkeeper Beau Reus and defender Laurent Mendy made their debuts, while Sabah Kerjota and Amadou Ba-Sy received their first competitive starts after previous tenures with the team.

With only 1,600 fans traveling to see Hearts open their league campaign, chants against the Scottish Football Association echoed in the stands. These fans expressed their displeasure regarding officiating decisions from the previous season that they believed cost them the title to Celtic. Their mood had been further dampened following a heavy 6-0 aggregate defeat by Sturm Graz during the summer.

During the first half, McEntee’s goal came after a chaotic buildup in the penalty area, putting Hearts in a strong position. However, as the match progressed, Aberdeen struggled to create significant offensive threats until the last moments of normal time when Mayo's goal arrived.

Nisbet's winning penalty came in stoppage time, concluding a match that left Hearts with much to ponder as they attempt to rebound from a disappointing start to their season.