Scottish Premiership: Celtic break Hearts but Aberdeen keep pace at top

Deadline-day signings Arne Engels and Luke McCowan grabbed their first goals for Celtic as the champions beat Hearts 2-0 in a VAR-influenced Premiership encounter.
Engels, Celtic’s record signing, was handed his first start and netted from a 52nd-minute penalty. Referee Colin Steven gave the spot-kick for handball, having been called to the monitor by video assistant Alan Muir after Nicolas Kuhn’s cross had struck James Penrice. Steven had also pointed to the spot in the first half when Lawrence Shankland’s header struck the arm of Liam Scales from close range, but he reversed his decision after studying footage.
Hearts were well in the game until the 89th minute when McCowan collected James Forrest’s pass 20 yards out and curled a shot that Craig Gordon could only palm off a post and into the net.
Pape Habib Guèye netted a brace for second-placed Aberdeen as they overcame a stern Motherwell 2-1 to maintain their own 100% record at Pittodrie. Guèye opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark for Aberdeen as he collected Jack MacKenzie’s pass in his own half and slotted the ball into the bottom corner following a quick break. The Senegal international completed his double 10 minutes from time as he headed in the rebound after the hosts put the pressure on. Motherwell pulled a goal back through Moses Ebiye but the Dons held on for maximum points.
Ross County claimed their first win of the season with a 2-0 win over Dundee in Dingwall. Summer signing Akil Wright headed the hosts into an early lead to put them on target for their first win of the league season. Jordan White doubled the Staggies’ lead in first-half stoppage-time, converting a penalty after he was brought down by Ethan Ingram in the area.
Ten-man Kilmarnock fought back from an interval deficit to draw 2-2 with St Mirren in a fiery encounter in Paisley. St Mirren took a seventh-minute lead as Toyosi Olusanya headed home a brilliant ball from Jaden Brown, but Marley Watkins equalised just four minutes later as he picked out the bottom corner. Former Kilmarnock midfielder Mark O’Hara put the hosts ahead for the second time from the penalty spot after Joe Wright handled the ball in the box, but the visitors were reduced to 10 men on the brink of half-time as Wright saw red for violent conduct. Saints forward Jonah Ayunga unfortunately put into his own net after 71 minutes to earn Kilmarnock a point as they moved off the bottom.
Mykola Kuharevich and substitute Martin Boyle gave David Gray his first Premiership win since being named permanent Hibernian manager in the summer after a 2-0 win over St Johnstone. On-loan Swansea forward Kukharevych broke the deadlock for the hosts on the stroke of half-time at Easter Road as he turned Marvin Ekpiteta’s header home from close range to open his account. Boyle made it 2-0 for Hibs midway through the second half, drilling Chris Cadden’s through ball into the bottom corner, while the away side lost Benjamin Kimpioka to a red card late on.
John Bennett has stepped down as chairman of Rangers for “health reasons” with former director John Gilligan taking over on a temporary basis. The 61-year-old stepped up from his position as vice-chairman last March to replace the outgoing Douglas Park, but came under fire after a delayed refurbishment to the Copland Stand at Ibrox meant the club had to play their home games at the start of the season at Hampden Park.
The Rangers board have come in for more criticism after a poor start to the campaign, with the Gers most recently losing 3-0 to Old Firm rivals Celtic at Parkhead before the international break. The team face Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday.