Siroki Brijeg 0 - 0 Hearts

THE head coach, Valdas Ivanauskas, echoed his chairman's criticism after Hearts were held to a goalless draw in the second round of Champions League qualifying in Bosnia.

Although the result was enough to send the Tynecastle side through to the third qualifying round, where they will meet Greek side AEK, Vladimir Romanov was
unhappy with the display. Indeed, Hearts had goalkeeper Craig Gordon to thank for their clean sheet and will have to improve drastically if they are to make the group stages of Europe's premier competition.

The Scotland goalkeeper made two fine saves from Mislav Karoglan in the first half and a tremendous close-range block from Celson just after the interval, among others.
Ivanauskas said: "I'm happy with the result and happy that we are in the next round, because that was our target. But we had the goalkeeper to thank for the result. Craig is the best keeper I have worked with. He is very important to our team, especially in Europe."

In the absence of the injured Paul Hartley and the now-departed Rudi Skacel, Hearts again looked devoid of inspiration in midfield. That does not look like changing in the immediate future, as Hartley admitted he is unlikely to be fit to play Celtic on Sunday, or AEK in the first leg at Murrayfield next Wednesday.
"I think it will be a couple of weeks [before] I will be back. You do not want to rush these things, make yourself worse and put yourself back a few months."

Ivanauskas made two changes to the team which defeated Siroki Brijeg 3-0 a week ago. Julien Brellier returned to the midfield at the expense of defender Ibrahim Tall, who played as a makeshift midfielder during the first game. The striker, Michal Pospisil, replaced Edgaras Jankauskas, who picked up a hamstring injury on Monday.
In the early stages, it looked like Hearts would progress comfortably, but the longer the game went on, the less comfortable they appeared.

In the seventh minute, after Deividas Cesnauskis earned a free kick 30 yards from goal when he was fouled by Siroki defender Ivica Landeka, striker Roman Bednar fired in the set-piece which home keeper Vladimir Vasilj gathered only at the second attempt. The nervy Siroki keeper then punched an inswinging Neil McCann corner backwards into his own net, but referee Viktor Kassai judged there was a foul inside the six-yard box.

In the 15th minute, Hearts got the first warning that they were not going to have things all their own way. Karoglan skipped past Brellier and unleashed a powerful drive from 25 yards. Gordon produced a superb diving save to push the ball away.

Siroki's 10,000-capacity Pecara stadium was around three-quarters full and the home support watched their side start to assert themselves. Gordon again had to make an impressive save from Karoglan, this time diving to his left to punch away a free kick from distance by the Siroki striker.

The match, if not the tie, was finely balanced but the Gorgie men were careful not to commit too many men in a build-up that was a little more cautious than usual.

On the half-hour the visiting defender, Christophe Berra, scythed down Karoglan at the edge of the Hearts penalty area but Wagner Lago's free kick rebounded off the defensive wall.
The increasingly confident Siroki then forced a series of corners but the Scots held firm – although the 200 or so visiting fans were becoming nervy.

Just before the interval the home side created a decent chance when defender Marko Kovacic skipped past Takis Fyssas on the right and cut the ball back to Ronelle Gomes 14 yards from goal.
However, the Siroki player missed his kick altogether and then Josip Papic compounded the mistake by firing high over the bar from just outside the penalty area.

Siroki began the second half on the ascendancy and in the 50th minute Wagner set up Celson just eight yards from goal, but the Brazilian's shot was brilliantly blocked by Gordon.
Hearts were living dangerously, although Bednar's dangerous cross from wide on the right may have reaped rewards if a maroon jersey had anticipated the ball into the area.

On the hour mark Hearts defender Robbie Neilson, who learned earlier in the day that he had been drafted into the Scotland squad's get-together later in the month by national coach Walter Smith, was replaced by Tall while Saulius Mikoliunas came on for McCann.

In the 77th minute, Gordon again made an impressive save, tipping an angled drive from Siroki substitute Hrvoje Erceg, who had come on for Kovacic, round a post. The visitors defended the set-piece easily and moments later at the other end, Bruno Aguiar fired a 25-yard free-kick wide.
In the 84th minute, Hearts' Bosnian substitute Mirsad Beslija was jeered by the home fans when he replaced Cesnauskis, but it was he and his team-mates who had the last laugh.

Taken from the Herald