Beni Baningime has already won the adoration of Hearts fans after his debut performance against Celtic, following his exit from Everton just 24 hours beforehand.
The midfielder completed a permanent switch to Tynecastle from Everton on Friday and Hearts manager Robbie Neilson threw him straight into the starting XI against Celtic. He won Man of the Match as Hearts recorded a brilliant 2-1 win on the Scottish Premiership’s opening day.
💫 Debutant Beni Baningime was named tonight's MOTM by Match Sponsor Saltire Roofing & Building Ltd 💪 pic.twitter.com/kvo4lKw9Dr
— Heart of Midlothian FC (@JamTarts) July 31, 2021
Taking on international players, Baningime controlled the midfield and looked head and shoulders above everyone else in the central area. Neilson has secured the midfielder on a three-year deal.
John Souttar scored an 89th winner to seal a great return to the Premiership for last season’s Championship winners. Anthony Ralston leveled for Celtic after Gary Mackay-Steven opened the scoring.
Hearts fans have been quick to praise their new recruit from Everton after a promising start.
Few could get near the Everton academy graduate. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)
What a way to announce our return to the top flight 🙌🏼
Room for improvement – but a great result.
Robbie Neilson deserves credit for an unexpected substitution that changed the game.
Delighted for John Souttar 👏🏼
Baningime looks a great addition 🏃🏿♂️
Craig Gordon unreal again 🤯 pic.twitter.com/7vsFRTArxU— Thomas Nicoll (@TS_Nicoll) July 31, 2021
In so many ways, it's so good to be back. Baningime, Souttar and Gordon were incredible. What a win
— 🇱🇻 Hearts Stats 📊 (@heartsstats) July 31, 2021
Beni Baningime has been excellent for Hearts tonight, has been all over the pitch winning his tackles and battles. Has been the engine in the middle for Hearts kept the tempo ticking. A very assured debut has taken to it like a duck to water. Plenty more to come at that too #HMFC
— Josh Bunting (@Buntingfootball) July 31, 2021
Beni Baningime
That's it, that's the tweet.
— HMFC France (@HMFC_France) July 31, 2021
Excited to see what else Baningime can do for us. What a performance. 💪🏻
— Lauren 🤙🏼 (@laurenemily182) July 31, 2021
Beni Baningime looks an absolute player 👌 the boys a machine 👏
— Stewart Knox (@MaddogStuKnox) July 31, 2021
Beni Baningime with Kante-esque energy levels ⚽️🇱🇻⚽️🇱🇻
— Jamie Knox (@knoxy1982) July 31, 2021
Thank you @Everton
Since the end of the match all I’ve seen on my feed are countless tweets from neutrals waxing lyrical about his performance pic.twitter.com/OszFjybPbM
— Amoruso Lets It Run (@Amoruso1998) July 31, 2021
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