Hearts 3-0 Siroki Brijeg: Bednar completes win

It took an own goal by visiting defender Branimir Anic eight minutes after the interval to give the Edinburgh side the breakthrough.

• Pressley hails team effort

In the 78th minute Ibrahim Tall drove in from close range after good work by substitute Michal Pospisil, who had replaced Edgaras Jankauskas just after the interval.

With five minutes remaining Roman Bednar pounced on a slack back pass by Siroki defender Ivica Landeka to score a third.

There was a crowd of 28,468 inside a stiflingly-hot Murrayfield for the Jambos' first foray into the Champions League, with only around 100 of those cheering on the visitors.

It was the Edinburgh club's biggest home European crowd since 1960, albeit one recorded at their temporary home.

The early signs were encouraging for the Hearts supporters. Only 20 seconds had elapsed when Neil McCann's inswinging cross from the left, his second since kick-off, was knocked over the crossbar by midfielder Bruno Aguiar, who had ghosted in unmarked into the penalty area.

However, the visitors soon settled down and when the ball seemed to strike McCann's hand following a Dalibor Silic corner, the Bosnians had a decent penalty claim turned down by Norwegian referee Espen Berntsen.

Siroki Brijeg appeared confident enough to take the game to Hearts but in the 10th minute Deividas Cesnauskis's cross from the right was met at the back post by the stretching McCann, who still ought to have done better than head past the post.

There was a surreal atmosphere inside the vast rugby stadium, utilised by the Gorgie club in order to maximise the financial possibilities of European football, but Hearts continued to press.

The home fans sat in almost total silence as their favourites appeared to run out of ideas, although in the 35th minute yet another whipped-in cross from wide on the left by McCann had the Bosnians in trouble, Jankauskas just failing to get his foot to the ball inside the six-yard box.

Moments later, however, when Aguiar clumsily brought down Celson 25 yards from goal, Santos struck the free-kick inches over the crossbar.

Perhaps unfairly the home side were jeered off at the interval by their frustrated supporters.

The Jambos responded after the break and from a long Robbie Neilson throw-in striker Bednar was denied from close range when his turn and shot could not find its way through a pack of players.

But from a similar situation in the 53rd minute the home side eventually took the lead.

Neilson's throw-in reached a crowded six-yard box and Anic headed helplessly into his own goal off the post.

Unsurprisingly, the Jambos were buzzing now and captain Steven Pressley came close with a header following another delightful cross from a free-kick.

In a double Hearts substitution soon after the tiring McCann made way for midfielder Saulius Mikoliunas and robust striker Pospisil replaced Jankauskas.

Most of the play was now taking place in the visitors' half of the field but there was still the feeling that the home side needed a second goal to take to Bosnia for the return trip next week.

In the 64th minute Cesnauskis nearly got it when he skilfully waltzed past a couple of defenders inside the Siroki penalty area only to flash his shot inches wide of the far post.

But in the 79th minute the Jambos eventually moved into a more comfortable two-goal lead.

Pospisil made some space on the right and when his cross came into the box, Tall swept the ball past Siroki keeper Tomislav Basic at the second attempt.

Then, in the 85th minute, the Jambos almost certainly secured their place in the third qualifying round when Bednar pounced on a slack back pass by Bosnian defender Ivica Landeka to run through and slide in a third goal.

• Pressley hails team effort

Hearts captain Steven Pressley praised his team's patience after they claimed a 3-0 win over Siroki Brijeg in the Champions League second qualifying round first leg at Murrayfield.

Pressley told BBC Scotland: 'We spoke beforehand about the patience we would need to show tonight and we did that.

'Make no mistake, European football is very difficult and they were a very good side. In the end, the pressure paid off and we got a fantastic 3-0 win. It was an excellent performance tonight.

'At times the crowd showed their frustration and European football is not easy. But we stuck to the task and we had spoken at half time about patience. It may have taken 90 minutes to get the breakthrough.

'But the important thing is we did not concede goals and we have a very good cushion for the second leg in Bosnia next week.'