Hearts’ defence was brutally exposed by Strum Graz as the Austrian side coasted to a 4-0 victory in the Champions League, second round, qualifier.
The Jambos started brightly but were punished severely for sloppy defensive play with three goals coming in a nightmare, nine-minute spell early in the second half. Yes, The Scots did have chances, but they failed to find the net in a disappointing night.
Earlier, Manager, Wouter Vrancken, selected the following 11 to start for Hearts in their Champions League, second round, qualifier in Austria in the Merkur Arena against Sturm Graz: Schwolow, Borchgrevink, McCart, McEntee, Miller, Braga, Kabore, Spittal, Milne, Kyziridis, Fagan-Walcott.
On the substitutes bench were Fulton, Clark, Kingsley, Renaud, Findlay, Guendouz, Wilson, Magnusson, Altena, Kerjota, Ba-Sy.
It was Milne who skippered the side in front of a 16,000 crowd, including almost 2,000 fans from Scotland’s capital, in Austria’s second city.
And it was Hearts who started brightly and Kyziridis threatened down the left. He fed Milne who sent the ball across the box but there were no takers.
The Edinburgh side won a corner seconds later down the right and Miller sent the ball into the box but it was nodded clear.
Disaster struck inside four minutes. Strum Graz attacked for the first time, winning a throw-in down the left. A long throw was met by Slovenian Stankovic, G=the Graz captain, and he shrugged off the challenge of McCart to bullet the ball home.
It was undoubtedly a bad goal to loose and a massive blow so soon after kick-off. The Jambos responded and Spittal’s dangerous, curving delivery into the box was scrambled away for a corner. Kyziridis delivered but the ball failed to beat the first defender and was comfortably cleared.
At the other end, Hearts survived. A corner was floated across the box and was flicked towards the back post where a header from close in crashed against the post, again poor defending.
The Men in Maroon raced up the park and Kyziridis forced a save from the home goalkeeper as play moved from end-to-end.
Vrancken’s men remained positive and Miller was sent down the right but was blocked but the home side were always a threat and the Austrian side quickly transferred the play to the Hearts’ penalty box and a cross ball was inches too high in another attack.
Schwolow was called into action from a deflected shot. He dived one way and had to keep the ball out with his feet. Hearts were living dangerously but they broke and neat interplay set up a long-range shot from Braga but the home goalkeeper got down low to gather.
Then Kabore had a real chance after Miller fed McEntee who drove deep into the box. Kabore picked up his pass but shot straight at the goalkeeper, a golden chance spurned.
And they passed up another opportunity through lack of composure in the opposition big with Kabore involved again.
It did appear, however, that Graz were open defensively and that the Scots get chances and one came along second later. Braga robbed Stankovic on the right edge of the Graz box and he fed Kyziridis but the Greek tried to side foot the ball home with his right foot and it slipped inches wide of the right-hand post. No wonder Kyziridis held his head in his hands, it was a glaring miss as he had so much time.
Kabore then had a sight of goal but he failed to get a shot away and would Hearts rue those missed chances.
Graz robbed a Hearts defender and drove forward. They were awarded a penalty when Milne slid in to defend and the ball which hit his hand. Hearts protested and VAR intervened. They suggested the referee should view the pitch side monitor and the award was rescinded. Relief for Hearts.
The Gorgie side were still in the game but they had to tighten up at the back. Stankovic was felled by McEntee who was yellow carded. The free-kick was sent into the box and headed clear for a corner, which should have been avoided.
Another corner followed and the ball was delivered into the six-yard box and Hearts were undone by another set play. Start the first half and lose a slack goal and start the second and the same thing happens. Slack defence and Mitchell capitalised for 2-0. A totally avoidable goal and Hearts were really up against it. Time 50 minutes.
The Jambos were exposed again seconds later. Milne was robbed in the opposition half and Graz, all in black, powered forward. Slack defence again as Hearts conceded again three minutes later despite there being enough numbers of white shirts in the box. Weinhandl, aged only 17, was the marksman and how the home flags waved on the terraces.
Hearts were under the cosh and a cross from the left cannoned off the left-hand upright with Schwolow stranded.
Vrancken had seen enough and prepared to make a triple change as another chance was created for Jatta who fired wide as Hearts defence was again struggling. Before then came on Graz netted another as the Jambos defence crumbled following a one-two.
It was Heil who netted after 59 minutes and the Graz player blasted the ball under Schwolow. Guendouz, Kerjota and Ba-Sy were introduced, surprisingly, three front players when it was clear that it was in defence where the problem lay.
Borchgrevink, however, forced a corner and Graz survived despite a skirmish in front of goal. Then, Kerjota delivered a corner from the right and McCart had a good run at the ball but headed over. Another chance wasted.
Guendouz fashioned a chance on the left for Ba-Sy but his effort was blocked before Spittal made way for Renaud.
Ba-Sy’s bustling play was causing problems for the Austrian rearguard and he fed the ball back to Renaud who blasted over from a good position.
Magnusson took over from McEntee for the final six minutes of regulation time as Hearts desperately tried to break through but Graz were determined not to let them open their account with some meaty challenges going in.
The Men in Maroon persevered and won a late corner but McCart headed wide. The pair square-up again at Tynecastle next Tuesday, but the Jambos have a mountain to climb and Vrancken (pictured by Nigel Duncan) has a massive job on his hands to lift his side and, in particular, to tighten his leaky defence.
