Braga makes impact from bench as Hearts win again

Edinburgh Reporter

16-07-2025

Head coach, Derek McInnes, gave Stuart Findlay his debut for Hearts at Broadwood against Hamilton Accies in Group E of the Premier Sports Cup and the move paid off handsomely after just five minutes.
Blair Spittal flighted a corner from the left to the back post and Findlay, a former Kilmarnock defender, met it perfectly to send the ball into the rigging from close range.
A great start after Hearts' 4-1 win over Dunfermline Athletic at Tynecastle on Saturday, and the visitors stayed on the front foot.
Elton Kabangu, who had been terrorising the Hamilton defence, darted down the left and fired for goal from a tight angle, but his effort was saved by Jamie Smith in the Hamilton goal.
Smith was tested again seconds later when Calem Nieuwenhof shot from distance and Alan Forrest was next to threaten. He cut in from the left and his volley was blocked.
The Jambos continued to dominate and Christian Borchgrevink collected a cross and had his volley blocked. Defender Frankie Kent then popped up in attack and he blasted over.
Another chance came soon after when Spittal fed James Wilson who held off a defender before feeding Kabangu but he failed to finish.
Spittal was then set-up by Nieuwenhof at the edge of the area, but he sliced wide.
It became frantic as half-time approached with Hamilton desperately defending as Kabangu, Spittal and Wilson fired shots on goal.
The pressure had to tell and it did when Kabangu had a simple task to slot home from close range after good work from Borchgrevink and Wilson.
The relentless pressure continued into the second session and Forrest drove to the byline and flashed a ball across goal but, unfortunately, there were no takers.
Hamilton, who brought two substitutes on at half time, introduced two others, one a trialist, near the hour mark, but Hearts kept up the pressure and Nieuwenhof shot straight at Smith.
McInnes decided on a change, four in fact, after 66 minutes, Craig Halkett, Harry Milne, Cammy Devlin and Claudio Braga being introduced and Michael Steinwender, Forrest, Beni Banningime and Kabango making way.
Despite the pressure, the Men in Maroon were unable to break through for a third, that's until Wilson struck after 68 minutes, his second in two games after his opener against Dunfermline.
Substitute Braga left a defender in his slipstream down the right and sent in a low cross. All Wilson had to do was tap home at the back post from a few yards out for 3-0.
Braga was involved again and almost carved a fourth after a darting run and cross which just eluded the teenage Scotland striker.
Accies made a further change in a bid to get something from the game, but they failed to break through.
Nieuwenhof was booked for a foul before McInnes introduced Oisin McEntee for Borchgrevink and goal No 4 arrived soon after. Milne was involved, winning the ball and feeding Braga on the edge of the box.
The Portugal-born forward saw his low shot deflected in. Smith had no chance. Time 82 minutes.
Halkett was booked for a challenge with only minutes to go and Accies made two more changes before the final whistle, but it made no difference as Hearts picked up a second win in three days.
SMILES BETTER: Stuart Findlay (centre) shares a joke in training. Picture Nigel Duncan
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