Tomas Magnusson thumped the ball home from 20 yards to put Hearts 1-0 ahead against highly-rated Benfica at Tynecastle only 13 minutes after being introduced as a second-half substitute.
It was a stunning strike from the Iceland-born midfielder who gave Samuel Soares no chance in the Benfica goal and it gave Hearts hope of a moral-boosting victory against the side who hammered them 6-1 in Lisbon seven days ago.
The goal from the 23-year-old, who missed the later stages of last season through injury, came after a sweeping move also involving Sabah Kerjota and Pierre Landry Kabore, also second-half substitutes, but, sadly for home fans, their joy was short-lived as this Benfica side, who are fancied to win the Europa League, levelled a minute later through Belgian-born winger, Dodi Lukebakio, who had looked threatening all evening.
He fired home with after being set-up by impressive Norwegian winger, Andreas Schjelderup and Jose Neto.
Earlier, industrious Calvin Miller had popped home from close range, a strike which he and his team-mates believed had put Hearts ahead only for Josh McPake to be ruled offside in the build-up which also involved Portugal-born Claudio Braga.
So, Hearts education in European football continues and, on this evidence, they are making progress under highly-rated new head coach, Belgian-born, Wouter Vrancken.
Now, there is another test looming. Can the Men in Maroon take that progression a stage further and dispose of Inverness Caley Thistle in the Premier Sports Cup at Tynecastle on Sunday (14.00)?
Remember, Inverness Caley Thistle had a glory night at Celtic Park in 2000 when they caused one of the biggest upsets in Scottish Cup history. They defeated The Hoops in a third round fixture.
Super Caley go ballistic, screamed the headline, Celtic are atrocious. Hearts don’t want that as the re-building continues in Gorgie.
However, back to Tynecastle in the third qualifying round, second-leg of the UEFA Europa League, and 17,068 fans tuned up on a balmy night, a great attendance given the thrashing in Lisbon.
Yes, the draw means Hearts are out of the Europa League, after being battered out of the Champions League by Austrian side, Strum Graz, on a 6-0 aggregate, and this latest defeat means they will now play Rapid Wien in the Conference League play-offs. The first leg is due on Thursday, August 20 in Edinburgh (19.45) with the return in Vienna on Wednesday, August 26 in the Allianz Stadion (17.45).
They will need to reproduce an action replay of this form to progress in that competition as it was backs-to-the-wall at times during the opening session.
The Jambos dug in as Benfica controlled possession, but it was level at 0-0 at the break as Benfica failed to find the goal-scoring form of last week.
They certainly came close and Amar Dedic’s header hit the upright from close range. It was the closest they would come.
The Jambos showed real tenacity and adventure in the second-half, with Miller and hard-working Tom Renaud in the engine room, with Braga doing what Braga does best, non-stop effort and neat touches.
Hearts played some flowing football in the second 45 minutes, a point appreciated by their fans, and the Jambos looked better organised outfit against this talented Benfica combine who paraded some fine flowing football.
Vrancken keeps saying that he is noting progression. On this evidence, he may be right.
Post-match, the coach told Hearts TV that his men were in against a good side, “with a lot of millions on the pitch”, and the Jambos made a “great performance” and showed a lot of team spirit. Hard to argue with that assessment.
They tried to create quick ball, he said, and the result may, he believes, give his squad added confidence.
Vrancken was also pleased that the players used spaces available on the pitch and were not scared of the opposition and, when they did not have the ball, the players struck together as a unit.
So, onwards and, hopefully for the faithful, upwards under the affable Vrancken.
BENFICA FANS: They were in the Roseburn Stand and made their presence felt. Picture Nigel Duncan
SOUVENIR: Benfica fans record their visit outside the ground. Picture Nigel Duncan
