Hearts 3 - 1 SC Braga

ROB ROBERTSON at Murrayfield September 17 2004

HEARTS gave themselves a great chance of European glory last night at their new home of Murrayfield. They had taken a two-goal lead against Portuguese outfit SC Braga, but a lack of concentration let the visitors back into the game.

However, a late strike by Patrick Kisnorbo put them back in the driving seat for the return leg. That crucial away goal by Braga will make qualification to the group stages difficult for Craig Levein's men, but they have a fighting chance.

It had started well for the Gorgie club. Andy Webster created his own piece of history as he scored the first Hearts goal at the home of Scottish rugby six minutes after half-time. His effort was followed 10 minutes later by a great volley into the net by Paul Hartley to give Hearts a 2-0 lead.

However, they then shut off only three minutes later, allowing a Wender free kick to be turned into the net by an unmarked Paulo Sergio.

Until the second-half goal flurry, the game seemed bogged down in midfield, but Hearts had held their own against technically more gifted opponents.

There may have been wide-open spaces on the Murrayfield terraces but the passionate Hearts support did their best to recapture the unique atmosphere they created at Tynecastle.

Although there was only 18,769 in a stadium with a capacity of 67,000, they reached decibel levels which would ensure local residents would know there was a match on. They packed both tiers of the east stand and families filled the bottom part of another as they did their best to get used to what will be their new home from next season.

It was a new experience, and a UEFA Cup tie holds more allure than an early-round CIS Insurance Cup match on a chilly evening, so the novelty could easily wear off.

The only thing that remained the same was the venom aimed at Chris Robinson, with the chants against the Hearts chief executive filling the air after just three minutes.

It was never going to be an easy 90 minutes for Hearts, with Mark de Vries the only striker Levein had fit and with complete faith in. It was a slap in the face to Dennis Wyness, who was relegated to the bench with the Hearts coach favouring midfielder Phil Stamp, who put in a decent shift.

He nearly scored in 37 minutes with a chip shot which Paulo Santos in the Braga goal did well to keep out. That moment, coming as it did just after Stamp made a mess of a good chance from a set-piece, seemed to wake the Portuguese side. Wender started to show his pace and a shot-come-cross from him was nearly turned into his own net by Webster, who was let off the hook by a great save from Craig Gordon.

Braga packed the midfield and tried to stifle any attacking moves by Hearts. It was a good tactic as they knew they had the pace up front to attack quickly when required. It was a match which didn't live up to expectations, which was mostly the fault of Braga, whose histronics when fouled were a blight on the game.

Hearts did what they are good at, which is playing high balls up to de Vries, but the Portuguese looked cumbersome. Like all continental sides, though, they could teach Scottish sides a thing or two at set-pieces, as their goal showed.

Hearts' first goal came when a deep cross by Joe Hamill was met at the back post by de Vries. Webster timed his run into the box to perfection and guided his header into the net.

Hartley's volley from a Robbie Nielson cross seemed to put Hearts in total control until the lack of concentration led to the Paulo Sergio goal.

Overall, the route-one approach worked well for the home side, but it showed once again the reliance they place on de Vries. Without the Dutchman, their options are limited up front, and it was his presence which kept the Braga back four on their toes.

Levein will be cursing the away goal his side lost, which was unnecessary and down to a lack of concentration.

With a guaranteed £2m if they make the UEFA Cup group stages, it is an error which the Gorgie side could live to regret, but Kisnorbo managed to put things partly right at the end.

Hearts (4-4-2) Gordon, Neilson, Webster, Pressley, Maybury, Hamill, Kisnorbo, Hartley, McAllister, de Vries, Stamp Subs: Moilanen,Wyness,MacFarlane,Janczyk, Sloan, Berra, Stewart. Booked Kisnorbo 44

SC Braga (4-3-3) Santos, Abel, Nunes, Jorge, Luiz; Kenedy (Joao Tomas,53 min), Vandinho, Loureiro; Wender, Baha (Aquino 37 min), Sergio Subs: Goncalves,Barroso, Tomas, Aquino,Fernandes,Santos, Costa.
Booked Nunes, (36 mins) Jorge (49 mins)

Referee A Genov (Bulgaria)

Taken from the Herald