Substitute Gordon, 43, produces save of season to keep Hearts beating

Claudio Braga watched the replay, clasped his hands over his mouth in disbelief, then stood in the dugout with them on his head.

The Hearts forward's strike from the edge of the box was a superb bit of quality - and was ultimately what gave the Scottish Premiership leaders victory at Dundee - but his moment had just been usurped by the man who replaced him.

Craig Gordon, 43 years young, having not played a minute of competitive football since Scotland's World Cup qualification heroics over Denmark, had just produced the save of the season. Perhaps any season.

Not only did he somehow scoop Emile Acquah's net-bound header away, he also preserved all three points for Hearts to keep them clear at the top of the table.

"It's probably one of the best of my career," a sheepish Gordon conceded to Sky Sports after the match.

Pundits and punters alike cut a similar shape to Braga on the bench. Disbelief abound. Just how had Gordon done that? Even the man himself wasn't sure.

"Sometimes you surprise yourself as a goalkeeper," Gordon told BBC Scotland. "That was definitely one that I thought was a goal, but decided to go after it anyway and somehow managed to claw it out.

"That really does feel as if it was one of my best."

Not half. There was talk of Gordon Banks v Brazil, David Seaman v Sheffield United and... well, Craig Gordon v Bolton Wanderers.

Former team-mate Steven Pressley was in the opposite dugout, and couldn't help but enthuse about the Hearts goalkeeper.

"I spoke to Craig at length before the game," the Dundee head coach said. "He's been starved of opportunity and you wonder if it's going to affect his performance... wow, it seems to have improved it.

"He made a couple of big saves today. That's the reason they're top of the league, they have a second-choice goalkeeper who's world class."

Former Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson was on punditry duty, and could barely believe his eyes: "That's save of the season. Every player is running to Craig Gordon. That is one of the best saves I have ever seen.

"That dressing room will be electric. Against any other goalkeeper in the league, that is a goal and Dundee get a draw."

In the frenzy of the post-save aftermath, it became clear that it was more than just a superb piece of goalkeeping or moment of individual brilliance.

It showed why Hearts' unbelievable title charge continues to hold water.

"Craig has always been capable of that big save, that big moment," head coach Derek McInnes said. "When he was called upon, he stood up. "I thought it was past him. Magnificent moment for him.

"For Craig, to be 43 years of age, throwing himself about a training ground... obviously, there's a lot of motivation this season in terms of the World Cup, and trying to be part of something special here.

"It's first class, and good on him. I'm pleased for him. It's a wee reminder everyone that he's still got a role to play and when we needed him, he was there.

"Any team that has a successful campaign, they're the bedrock, digging out results like that. It felt significant."

How many times has Gordon been written off in his career?

In 2012 - 14 years ago, lest we forget - he was released by Sunderland after injuries plagued an already-sterling career. Had he given up then, just short of his 30th birthday, it would have been understandable.

Yet after being without a club for three years - spending his days as a part-time goalkeeping coach at Dumbarton - he came back to win everything that could be won with Celtic domestically and return to the Scotland set-up.

In 2020, he returned to first club Hearts, became captain, and won the Scottish football writers' player of the year award for his performances in 2021-22.

Then injury struck again. A horror leg break a week shy of his 40th birthday left him celebrating Christmas Day in a Dundee hospital. Surely enough to pack it all in?

Nope, not for Gordon.

After recovering, he spent half a season as understudy to Zander Clark at Tynecastle and seemed set for a place on the plane to Germany and Euro 2024.

Steve Clarke didn't see it that way. Perhaps thinking of the future, and the fact Gordon had hardly played in 18 months, the Scotland head coach afforded him a Hampden friendly farewell against Finland instead before the squad departed.

Surely, this time, that was it?

Wrong again. Gordon was recalled amid an injury crisis and kept clean sheets against Portugal and Croatia, before stepping in again in the autumn for the World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Denmark.

But what about at Hearts?

Gordon's summer was ruined by injury, again. It kept him out of the final throes of last season, and meant he only played a minute of his testimonial against Sunderland in July.

When Clark's form dipped, Gordon was not ready to return and Alexander Schwolow was signed. He has been solid, not giving Gordon a look in. Until now.

The German goalkeeper's mistake against Dundee - bringing down Tony Yogane on the edge of the box after the winger beat the offside trap - allowed Gordon his first minutes on the pitch since that magical night at Hampden.

Immediately, he was forced into a save. Cameron Congreve lined up a free-kick and curled it low, but Gordon was down quickly to beat the ball away.

The second-half was mostly a watching brief. Balls were shelled into the box and headed away by the Hearts defence. It wouldn't be until the final kick - or header - of the ball, that Gordon got his moment.

Acquah's header looked laser-guided into the net. Gordon was going the other way.

Yet somehow, he managed to stretch every sinew to his left, sprawling to get a strong hand and turn Dens delirium into despair.

Gez: Craig Gordon won an award for the best ever save in the EPL when at Sunderland after defying physics to stop the ball already behind him. I think we've just seen the exact same thing for the SPFL Premiership. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. And still don't.

Tony: Craig Gordon, absolute legend, had one potentially career-ending injury and didn't play for ages before ripping it up at Celtic and then another potentially career-ending injury before coming back and helping Scotland qualify for the World Cup. He made the best save in Premier League history and now one of the best saves in Scottish Premiership history. And he's 43 and hopefully starting at the World Cup.

Robert: Steve Clarke has the goalie sorted. I've watched that guy since he broke into the first team at Tynecastle and he can still get me out of my seat. He's a phenomenon, one of the greatest ever.

Alfie: Sometimes you've just got to put your hands up and say fair play. Sensational. Never mind being on the plane, he should be starting in the summer.

Tony: Wow, sub goalkeeper on at half-time makes literally one of the best saves of all time to win a crucial match in the 93rd minute. Not a bad storyline.

Pete: Craig Gordon. One of our best ever keepers, but also one of the most decent guys we have had the privilege to have in the Scotland team. Delighted for him.