Edinburgh: Hearts eliminated from Champions League by Sturm Graz
Hearts concluded their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 home defeat to Sturm Graz, resulting in a 6-0 aggregate loss. The match, played at Tynecastle, saw the Austrian side secure their passage in the second-round qualifier, marking Hearts’ heaviest defeat in a two-legged European tie in 20 years.
The Edinburgh club entered the second leg trailing 4-0 from their previous encounter in Austria. Head coach Wouter Vrancken had expressed a need for his team to be “almost perfect” to achieve a “magical, historic night” at Tynecastle Park, despite the challenging deficit.
Match Overview
Hearts made a positive start to the match, creating early pressure on Sturm Graz. Malachi Fagan-Walcott nearly put Hearts ahead in the ninth minute with a header that went just wide from a free-kick delivered by Alexandros Kyziridis. Shortly after, Blair Spittal had a shot blocked after Kyziridis flicked a low delivery from Calvin Miller into his path near the box.
Sturm Graz, however, also had significant opportunities. In the 16th minute, Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow made a crucial save to deny Szymon Wlodarczyk after a clearance by Fagan-Walcott left the forward through on goal. Schwolow, who was playing his final match for Hearts before his move to Mainz, made several fine saves throughout the first half.
The visitors thought they had taken the lead in the 26th minute when Seedy Jatta slotted the ball into an empty net. However, the goal was disallowed following a VAR review, which determined that Jatta had fouled Harry Milne. Jatta had also previously blasted a shot into the side netting and had another effort saved by Schwolow, with Jacob Hodl’s rebound cleared off the line by Stephen Kingsley.
Second Half and Elimination
Hearts appeared sharper in the second half, with Oisin McEntee’s header requiring a clearance off the line to keep the score level. Despite their improved play, Sturm Graz ultimately broke the deadlock in the 64th minute. Simon Seidl scored with an angled strike from inside the box, finding the net past Schwolow after a flick-on from captain Jon Gorenc.
Just four minutes later, Sturm Graz extended their lead. Emran Soglo bundled in a second goal after his initial effort was blocked by Schwolow. This second goal effectively sealed the aggregate victory for the Austrian side, with the match ending 2-0 on the night and 6-0 overall.
During the match, Hearts faced further challenges with injuries to Stephen Kingsley and Alexandros Kyziridis. Despite the comprehensive defeat, Vrancken had made three changes to the starting lineup from the first leg, bringing in Jordi Altena and captain Kingsley to the defence, and giving Sabri Guendouz his first start in support of striker Claudio Braga.
Looking Ahead
With their Champions League journey concluded, Hearts will now enter the Europa League third qualifying round. They are set to face the winner of the tie between Benfica and St Gallen. St Gallen currently holds a 2-1 lead from the first leg of that fixture. Hearts will also begin their Scottish Premiership season with an away match against Aberdeen on Saturday.
Vrancken had stressed the importance of increasing efficiency, particularly in both offensive and defensive boxes, following the first leg. He noted that despite being behind at half-time in the previous match, it was “incredible” given their performance, highlighting the need for improvement in those areas.
Source: bbc.co.uk