HERO ANDY IS VELICKA THE BUNCH

Hearts 2

Osasuna 0

LITHUANIAN trialist Andrius Velicka made himself an instant Hearts hero with a goal against Osasuna at Murrayfield last night.

On the hottest day of the year Hearts sizzled to a tremendous Champions League morale boosting 2-0 victory as second-half substitute Velicka hit a wonder goal.

Now he could be in line for a starting slot against Bosnians Siroki Brijeg, who defeated Shakter Belarus 1-0 last night.

Velicka, who had come on to replace Takis Fyssas, was only on the park 13 minutes when he delighted the crowd of 18,997 with an exquisite finish that found its way into the top corner before Ibrahim Tall netted a lastminute clincher.

The Jambos, watched by new Rangers boss Paul Le Guen, almost got off to the perfect start when Roman Bednar neatly dummied the ball for Edgaras Jankauskas, who was clean through on goal but his shot was saved by Ricardo Felipe after just three minutes.

Bednar then fired a free-kick high and wide from the edge of the box after he was fouled by Nacho Eraso on 15 minutes.

Jambos skipper Steven Pressley tried to lead the way when he headed Bruno Aguiar's corner over the top a minute later.

It was all Hearts and Deividas Cesnauskis' piledriver from 15 yards was brilliantly beaten away by Felipe after 21 minutes.

Aguiar then fired in a dangerous low ball to the far post which Andrew Driver steered towards goal on the slide but Felipe was equal to the task.

Hearts listed four of the five Lithuanian trialists on the teamsheet that head coach Valdas Ivanauskas had brought to the club and midfielder Marius Zaliukas entered the fray for Julian Brellier after 31 minutes.

Driver then blasted wide from a good position after a neat head flick from Bednar on 40 minutes.

The second half was barely five minutes old when Osasuna's David Moreno cut inside Fyssas and unleashed a vicious drive from 10 yards which Scotland keeper Craig Gordon brilliantly saved with his legs.

Hearts' response was to throw on trialists Velicka, Tomas Kancelskis and Kestvis Waskevicius while Tall replaced skipper Pressley.

Gordon then came to Hearts' rescue for the second time when he made another fine save from a fierce 25-yard effort from Osasuna substitute Valmiro Rocha. Czech striker Bednar made way for Saulius Mikoliunas after 66 minutes before Velicka made an instant impression when he gave Hearts the lead after 72 minutes with a stunning, looping shot into the top corner.

Tall put the icing on the cake when he volleyed home Lee Johnson's free kick in the final minute.

HEARTS - Gordon, Neilson (Waskevicius 59), Fyssas (Velicka 59), Pressley (Tall 59), Berra, Brellier (Zaliukas 31), Driver (McCann 61), Cesnauskis (Kancelskis 59), Jankuaskas (Pospisil 59), Aguiar (Johnson 80), Bednar (Mikoliunas 66). Sub not used -Banks.

OSASUNA -Felipe, Eraso, Jimenez, Martinez, Urtasun, Moreno, Bezunartea, Romero, Romeo, Oroz, Arambide.

Subs - Vallejo, Martinez, Bezunartea, Escudero, Lasa, Dominguez, Salinas, Ventura, Martin, Rocha.

Referee: C Murray.

Taken from the Daily Record