Hearts edge Falkirk to stay top | OneFootball

Match in Five Sentences: Hearts beat Falkirk 1-0 at Tynecastle Park. Islam Chesnokov settled it in the 45th minute with a left-footed finish from the centre of the box. After the restart, Scott Bain kept The Bairns in it with sharp saves from Alexandros Kyziridis and Cláudio Braga. Hearts produced 17 attempts, illustrating sustained pressure throughout. The Jambos remain first in the Scottish Premiership and host Aberdeen next, while The Bairns welcome Kilmarnock.

Player of the Match: Chesnokov decided the contest with his first half strike and drove the Jambos on with three attempts, six possessions won and two tackles won.

Stat of the Match: Bain produced four saves, a key reason The Bairns stayed in touch after the interval.

Three Things We Learned: Craig Halkett dominated his area, making six clearances and winning eight aerial duels. Harry Milne supplied quality from wide areas with five accurate crosses and four key passes. The Bairns won just 37.5% of their aerial duels, reinforcing the Jambos' edge in the air.