THERE will be European group stage football at Tynecastle in the coming months despite Hearts losing their Europa League play-off to Zurich tonight.
And Robbie Neilson’s side could still find themselves pitted against some formidable rivals from major nations in the Conference League.
Yet, dropping into that competition will do little to lift the spirits of the Premiership club’s players or supporters after this excruciating second leg defeat.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg seven days ago, Hearts impressed and did more than enough to triumph, and triumph comfortably, and progress.
However, they were unable to convert any of the scoring opportunities they carved out in the final third and ultimately paid a high price for their profligacy.
Lawrence Shankland, Kye Rowles, Alan Forrest, Liam Boyce and Barrie McKay all could have netted. None of them did so. When Jorge Grant was sent off for a second bookable offence early in the second-half they were left to rue their lack of ruthlessness.
Substitute Fabia Rohner scored with 10 minutes remaining to ensure Zurich will go into the draw with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Roma in Istanbul tomorrow.
It was tough to take for Hearts. They can, though, take confidence from their showing in this outing. If they can add a vital cutting edge to their play they could give their fans some nights to remember.
Hearts have met and defeated some famous names in Europe in the past and those supporters who flocked to Gorgie in their thousands did so hoping to see a repeat of their famous triumphs over Lokomotive Leipzig, Bayern Munich, Slavia Prague, Stuttgart and Braga. They were to leave disappointed.
Still, it was a far cry from the days they spent in the Championship two seasons ago following their contentious demotion from the top flight. The game, too, was a fitting reward to those who had ensured their beloved club’s survival when their very existence was threatened.
Neilson had stated at his pre-match press conference that he wanted Hearts to use the crowd to their advantage and take the game to their rivals while guarding against being hit on the counter attack. He was true to his word. He went with a 4-4-2 formation with Boyce and Shankland up front.
The latter tested Tanick Brecher with a long-range header in the fourth minute after rising to meet a Grant free-kick. The Zurich keeper had little difficulty dealing with the ambitious effort. But it was an early indication of intent.
The decibel levels grew as Hearts retained possession, applied sustained pressure and probed for an opening in the Zurich rearguard. Their opponents rarely ventured out of their own half.
When they finally managed to do so Rowles, deputising for the injured Craig Halkett in the centre of defence, got out to block Bogdan V’Yunnik quickly. Craig Gordon, restored to the starting line-up after being rested at the weekend, went untested.,
His opposite number kept the scoreline level in the 14th minute after left back Alex Cochrane found right winger Forrest with a long diagonal ball upfield. His team mate cut inside and unleashed a powerful shot which Brecher did superbly to palm wide at full stretch.
Shankland fired a first-time attempt wide after a Forrest cut back, Rowles went close at a Grant corner and Mirlind Kryeziu slid in and blocked Forrest after Boyce had sent the wide man through on goal. It looked only a matter of time before Hearts edged ahead and levelled the double header on aggregate.
Boyce should have done better when Forrest found him in space at the back post with a chip from wide on the right flank. He just had to, with Brecher exposed, get his header on target to find the net. The Northern Ireland internationalist nodded down onto the turf and watched in despair as it arched over the crossbar.
When one side dominates to such a degree and fails to bury any of the chances they create they always run the risk of being caught out with a sucker punch. The home team put everything they had into the first-half? Could they maintain their intensity after half-time and make the breakthrough they so desperately needed?
Frank Foda freshened up his side by bringing on Marc Hornschuh and Wilifried Gnonto for Cheick Conde and Doris Avdijaj as plumes of smoke wafted across the pitch from the flares the Zurich ultras set off. But the changes made little impact. Barrie McKay got an attempt on target in the 51st minute.
The frustration at Hearts’ failure to score must have got the better of Grant. The midfielder, who had been booked earlier for a foul on Antonio Marchesano, picked up a second yellow card and then a red three minutes later when he went to ground in the Zurich penalty box a little too easily for the liking of Belgian referee Lawrence Visser after a challenge by Karol Mets.
Being reduced to 10 men was a blow to his side and Neilson clearly felt the need to act. He put on Peter Haring for Boyce and Josh Ginnelly for Forrest. But Gordon was called upon for the first time in proceedings shortly after the substitutions. He denied Gnonto easily.
The Scotland internationalist was struck by missiles thrown by the Swiss fans as he went to retrieve the ball. He took his time restarting play. But he was unable to get to the Rohner shot in the 80th minute.
