SO MUCH TO BRAG ABOUT

Sep 17 2004

Hearts 3 Sporting Braga 1; Hearts get life in new home off to a real flier

By Gary Ralston

HEARTS moved into their new home last night and threw out the guests who threatened to ruin their housewarming party.

Murrayfield may be makeshift accommodation for the moment but it will be a showhouse to be proud of if the Jambos turn in many more performances like this at the rugby stadium.

Hearts turned it into a home from home for 63minutes of their UEFA Cup first-round first-leg tie.

The party was in full swing when Andy Webster and Paul Hartley sent them racing into a two-goal lead early in the second half.

They then nodded off and allowed Braga to gatecrash the event with a crucial away strike that left their hopes of qualifying for the group stage in jeopardy.

However, Patrick Kisnorbo bounced the Portuguese out the front door with a stunning injury-time strike as he smashed home a volley from eight yards from a Hartley corner.

Turning up at Murrayfield and looking out at a set of football goals and a field marked with penalty spots and 18-yard areas was akin to walking into the Louvre and discovering the Mona Lisa had undergone a nose job.

It took some getting used to, clearly as much for the groundstaff as the fans as kick-off was delayed five minutes because the nets behind Craig Gordon's goal hadn't been properly pinned.

The East Stand was packed to capacity and there were few seats to behad in the lower section of the East while attendance in the centre section of the West Stand was also respectable.

Elsewhere, however, there were more gaps than a civil servant's defence at Holyrood. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was soon rousing as Hearts fans slowly took stock of their new surroundings, dismissing early fears that any noise made would be like yodelling in the Grand Canyon.

They arrived before kick-off, tentatively looking around the stadium with the same critical eye as a prospective purchaser being shown a new home.

Heroic Will Hearts buy into a full-time switch, mortgaging a lifetime of emotion at Tynecastle for a home that rattles to the echoes of heroic sporting exploits of Phil MacPherson, Jim Aitken and David Sole rather than Alfie Conn, Jimmy Wardhaugh and Willie Bauld?

On first impressions yes, though it will needa rewrite of the best club song in Scottish football as they no longer bide away up in Gorgie at Tynecastle Park.

Jambos fans were reluctant to give their anthem an airing but it didn't stop the pre-game DJ who blared it out of a09015610144 and leave your answer, name, address, daytime telephone number and the two-digit code that corresponds to your team.The contest closes at noon on Saturday. Calls cost 60p per minute.

Editor's decision is final. Usual PA system that, in pure Spinal Tap style, had its volume cranked up to 11.

The noise was needed early on but Murrayfield was quickly crackling to the predictable Pieman chants.

The Gorgie boys' anticipation levels were raised on the field early on as Hearts went for the early goal that would have sat on the mantlepiece of their new home like a priceless family heirloom.

They almost got it too after only three minutes when Mark de Vries chested a Joe Hamill cross into the path of Jamie McAllister but the left-foot volley from the makeshift midfielder whizzed inches wide.

Craig Levein sprung a surprise by playing Phil Stamp up front with de Vries in the absence of injury-hit Ramon Pereira and Graham Weir and it almost paid off 10 minutes before the break as the game burst into life.

Stamp picked up the ball on the left and clipped a pass into de Vries but he was fouled on the edge of the area by Jose Nunes, whowas booked.

Stamp's free-kick came to nothing but he was alert 60 seconds later when de Vries returned the compliment by putting him one-on-one with keeper Paulo Santos.

Stamp's attempted lob was palmed away by Santos only as far as McAllister but he could only poke the ball on to the roof of the net under pressure.

Braga were muted in the first half but looked slick on the counter attack. Sub Jaime Aquino, on the pitch only minutes after replacing Habil Baha in a tactical switch, latched on to a dreadful defensive header by Webster and let fly from 20 yards.

Wicked His right-foot effort took a wicked deflection but Gordon reacted brilliantly to push the ball to safety.

Kisnorbo became the second player booked, this time for a foul on Vandinho who rolled around after a click in the ankles with all the aplomb of a B Movie actor feigning a dramatic death.

Hearts almost snatched the breakthrough they deserved in first-half injury time when Hartley dashed forward from midfield and let rip but Santos saved his right-foot shot.

Hearts fans were being forced to endure a miserable night as a distant cousin twice removed of Hurricane Ivan blew through Edinburgh, dumping its drizzle on the lush Murrayfield turf.

But on the field things could not have been going better as they took the lead they so richly deserved in 50 minutes.

Full-back Robbie Neilson delivered a left-foot cross from the right to de Vries at the back post who towered over marker Paulo Jorge to nod across the six-yard box.

Central defender Webster darted in at the front post to send a powerful header past the stranded Santos.

Murrayfield was rocking - and the crowd of 18,769 were almost off their seats again three minutes later when de Vries split the Portuguese defence to send Stamp racing clear.

Unfortunately,the chunky playmaker lacked the mobility to sprint unchallenged into the box but he still got in a shot fierce shot that fizzed just wide. However, Hearts were handed a reminder of the danger Braga posed at set--pieces when Aquino fired ina fierce free-kick from25yards Gordon did well to bundle round the post.

But that was forgotten as Hearts snatched a second in 61 minutes.

Hartley picked up a pass and spread the play wide right to Neilson who delivered another inch-perfect pass for his team--mate to knock a volley on his stride from10 yards into the corner of the net.

It was the noisiest Murrayfield had been all night but the crowd were stunned into silence as the Portuguese grabbed a crucial away strike.

Wender's delivery from a free-kick on the left was masterful, dropping into the no-man's land defenders and keepers hate so much.

Hearts showed only slight hesitation but it was enough for Paulo Sergio to seize upon as he dashed in to knock a header past the stranded Gordon.

However,Kisnorbo fired home in the final seconds as Hearts placed one foot in the group stage.

Taken from the Daily Record