After Aberdeen’s second goal, Grant was booked for whining. He then tackled Duk for a second time.
Hearts’ teammates received an apology from Jorge Grant for the red card that essentially cost them the game at Pittodrie.
With two minutes remaining in the Jambos’ five-goal thriller against Aberdeen, interim manager Liam Fox acknowledged that the midfield player had raised his hands in celebration. Fox expressed disappointment with Grant’s card—he was given a second yellow for tackling Duk after being booked for dissent—and the fact that Ante Palaversa’s late, heartbreaking goal preserved the Dons’ perfect start to the season by doubling the penalty.
First and foremost, Fox stated, “Jorge Grant has raised his hands and expressed his feeling of having let the team down.” There is no denying that sending off alters the momentum and game flow. That’s how football works. We operate in an environment where margins are quite narrow, so I felt like those few factors worked against us today.
Fox recognised the game shifted on the red card but had sympathy for Grant for his first booking, as he was cautioned for arguing the ball was still moving at the free kick which resulted to Aberdeen’s second goal. “The red card definitely changes the flow of the game,” the Hearts manager continued.
It’s also important to note that in the second goal, the ball is actually still moving after a free kick. They score as they go up the park.
Jorge Grant is then sent off on a challenge after being booked for dissent for protesting about the ball moving. Thus, it is true that there is disappointment and frustration there.
Fox believes that after their exhausting journey back from Azerbaijan, his squad, who currently sits bottom of the league, more than deserved a point. They rallied to take a 2-1 lead and had more excellent opportunities. “I feel frustrated and disappointed,” he said.
“I think the players were really, incredibly good for long stretches of the game. Even more so in light of the incredibly tough and demanding week that has just ended. In addition to Steven [Naismith] and his colleagues departing, we’ve also travelled a lot.
To be honest, I’m pretty disappointed in the players since I felt like we were competitive for at least a point. The quantity of opportunities we generated, the method we moved the ball, and the way we expended energy without the ball. The main emotion is one of extreme disappointment for the participants.
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