Rangers kept their Scottish Premiership title hopes alive with a pulsating 4-2 victory over league leaders Hearts at Ibrox, inspired by a Youssef Chermiti hat-trick. The win cuts Hearts' lead to two points, with Celtic a further point back but holding a game in hand.
Hearts took an early lead through Marc Leonard after a defensive error, and doubled their advantage when Cláudio Braga headed in. But Rangers hit back before half-time as Chermiti scored after a Craig Halkett block fell kindly. The Portuguese striker then put Rangers ahead with a near-post header from Andreas Skov Olsen's cross, before completing his treble on the counter-attack from Djeidi Gassama's pass.
Rangers manager Danny Röhl hailed his side's resilience: 'We fully deserved to win over 90 minutes. We have developed a lot of resilience since I came here.' He noted Rangers have the best points haul in the league since his October appointment.
Hearts boss Derek McInnes remained defiant: 'We don't feel as if we are going to go anywhere. We are disappointed but not too despondent.' Hearts host Falkirk and Aberdeen in their next two games before Rangers face Celtic.
Chermiti's £8m move from Everton was initially criticised, but the striker has now scored in big games including a double at Celtic Park in January. Röhl said: 'Big games are for big players and today he showed how big he is.'
