Aguiar returns from injury misery to rescue Hearts

Hearts midfielder Bruno Aguiar marked his first appearance for 18 months with the goal that gave his side a 1-1 draw in the Edinburgh derby against Hibernian on Sunday.

Csaba Laszlo's side trailed to Steven Fletcher's early strike at Easter Road but Aguiar was determined to make up for lost time after a lengthy battle with an ankle injury that he feared might end his career.

The Portuguese playmaker got the equaliser with a superb free-kick just before the break and could even have won it for Hearts, but squandered a late chance to leave the visitors a point and a place behind their bitter rivals.

Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen claimed his side had been denied a clear chance to extend their lead when Derek Riordan went down in the penalty area.

“In my opinion we should have had a penalty but sometimes you get them sometimes you don't,” he said. “Unfortunately, we didn't get it.

“Riordan said it was a clear foul and that's the way I saw it. But there is no point dwelling on it, the referee thought otherwise.

“If we had scored that penalty to make it 2-0, possibly the match would have been all over, but it wasn't to be.”

Laszlo inevitably saw it differently, adding: “I must compliment the referee. He didn't make many mistakes and he had a good game. It's not easy to referee a derby between Hearts and Hibs.”

Hibernian had made a dream start when an incisive move produced the first goal 78 seconds after kick-off.

Colin Nish dispossessed Christos Karipidis before running on to Riordan's clever backheel and squaring for Fletcher to force home from close range.

Hearts came close to an instant reply when Christophe Berra headed against the bar after Laryea Kingston had lobbed the ball back in after his half-cleared corner.

Riordan volleyed into the side net after David van Zanten's cross found him unmarked at the back post moments later.

Kingston missed a great chance in the 11th minute after starting a counter-attack following Steven Thicot's misplaced pass.

The Ghana midfielder played Christian Nade through and the ball fell for him on the right side of the box after Yves Ma-Kalambay had come out to slide clear, but he shot high and wide with the keeper stranded.

Riordan appealed strongly for a penalty when he was felled by the challenge of Eggert Jonsson just inside the box but referee Eddie Smith waved play on.

Nish gave away a soft free-kick 20 yards from goal when he pushed over Lee Wallace in the 42nd minute. Aguiar took full advantage to draw Hearts level with a fine strike from the set-piece.

Hibs threatened first in the second half when Janos Balogh scrambled to push Riordan's looping header wide of his near post following Van Zanten's deep cross.

Nade nodded home Kingston's corner on the line moments later but he had impeded Ma-Kalambay and Smith blew for a foul.

With Aguiar pulling the strings, Hearts were starting to take control and Nade headed wide from another Kingston cross.

Aguiar could have won it for Hearts in the final moments but he completely miscued his shot from Andrew Driver's cross.

Nade wasted an even better chance in stoppage time as he blasted Driver's cross over from no more than seven yards.