Regime up and running

Spartak Trvnava 1 / Hearts 3
Ewan Smith at Stadion Windischgarsten

DEIVIDAS Cesnauskis helped to get the Valdas Ivanauskas regime off to a flier with a deadly double against Spartak Trnava last night – in front of watching owner Vladimir Romanov.

Cesnauskis struck on 30 and 36 minutes and second half strikes from Nerijus Beslija and Trnava’s Peter Duris completed the scoring as Hearts recorded a win in their second match of a ten-day tour of Austria.

Reflecting on the performances of three trialists Georgian Giorgi Popkhadze, Portuguese star Tiago Costa and Spartak Moscow’s Ales Urbanek, Ivanausksas said afterwards: “We have brought the three players in to have a look at them and they did well in the game.

“But it is down to all of them to work hard and show that they want to come here and play for Hearts. If they want a future at our club they have to show it. The result was also nice, as was the performance but I was more pleased with the fitness levels we showed. It’s important we get sharp and are ready for the start of the Champions League campaign.”

Robbie Neilson said: “It was a great finish from Deividas to get us off the mark and he is more than capable of doing that sort of thing.

“He’s a quality player but you also have to give a lot of credit to young Andrew Driver. He has just come into the squad and like Calum Elliot did last year he looks like he could make an impact.

“We have got a lot of foreigners in our ranks so it’s nice to have a young home-grown player doing it.”

A smattering of posters in bars and restaurants in Windischgarsten’s quaint, cobbled streets, were the only real indication that the Scottish Cup holders were in town. Against a Spartak Trnava side that will contest Uefa Cup football next term, Hearts were given the sternest test of their pre-season campaign. As Hearts get closer to their Champions League qualifier on July 26, yesterday’s match saw Ivanauskas’ side beginning to take some shape.

Romanov took time out from his World Cup adventure to cast an eye over the side he expects to win the league and conquer Europe. To that end, he is again expected to open his cash vault and bring in new names. South Korean World Cup star Ahn Jung-Hwan could well head the list, while yesterday’s trialists did themselves no disfavours. However it was the current crop of stars that impressed most during a first-half Hearts dominated.

Cesnauskis lit up the opening 45 minutes with his own masterclass, grabbing the opener on 30 minutes. He played a cute chip to Driver on the left wing before running in to the box for the return and curling a half- volley into the top right hand corner. Moments later Cesnauskis doubled his tally with a close range tap-in as Hrdina could only parry a Jankauskas header.

The third goal came on 73 minutes as Elliot’s low cross was met by sub Nerijus Beslija who squeezed the ball home from close in.

Taken from the Sunday Herald