Key Points
- Derek McInnes showed visible anger towards Celtic’s technical area after their early goal at Tynecastle Park.
- Claudio Braga scored a late equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw for league leaders Hearts against 10-man Celtic.
- Hearts maintained their position at the top of the Scottish Premiership, now four points clear of Rangers.
- McInnes guided Hearts to come from behind twice in an epic match, praising his team’s resilience.
Edinburgh (Edinburgh Daily News) February 10, 2026 – Hearts manager Derek McInnes disrupted expectations in a thrilling Scottish Premiership encounter at Tynecastle Park, where Claudio Braga’s late strike earned a vital point against Celtic.
The match saw Celtic take an early lead through Benjamin Nygren’s superb free-kick in the seventh minute, prompting McInnes to storm towards the visitors’ technical area in protest at their celebrations. Hearts fought back with goals from Stuart Findlay and Braga, capitalising on Auston Trusty’s red card after a VAR review.
How did Derek McInnes react to Celtic’s celebrations?
McInnes, appointed Hearts manager in the summer, guided his side through a tense derby atmosphere. According to Sky Sports reporting, he was visibly angered by a Celtic backroom staff member’s celebrations following Nygren’s curling free-kick beyond Craig Gordon, marking Celtic’s first direct free-kick goal since 2021.
As reported by Michael Grant of Daily Record, McInnes gave Celtic players a glare before kick-off and later became embroiled in a bust-up with the Hoops’ bench, setting his sights firmly on the Premiership title after Braga’s 87th-minute leveller.
What role did Claudio Braga play in the outcome?
Braga emerged as the hero, thumping home from eight yards after Oisin McEntee headed down Harry Milne’s free-kick. RTE noted Braga’s strike denied Celtic a scarcely deserved win, while Hearts were without key players Lawrence Shankland, Beni Baningime and Cammy Devlin.
Why was Celtic reduced to 10 men?
Celtic defender Auston Trusty received a red card following a VAR check for denying a goalscoring opportunity on Pierre Landry Kabore. This left Martin O’Neill’s side hanging on for the final quarter, as detailed in Sports Mole and Sky Sports match reports.
What are the title race implications for Hearts?
The draw kept Hearts top with 54 points from 25 games, four points ahead of Rangers after their 3-0 win over Dundee, per Sky Sports. McInnes praised his players on Sky Sports for coming from behind twice, insisting it showed they created enough chances to win and wore the look of champions.
Hearts now prepare for the final Edinburgh derby against Hibernian at Tynecastle, where Braga’s form will be key amid injuries to Hibs’ Chris Cadden, Grant Hanley and others, according to Sports Mole preview.
