AEK Athens 3-0 Hearts (agg 5-1)

Julien Brellier was shown a yellow card for wearing an earring and booked soon after for elbowing in a challenge.

Hearts, 2-1 down from the first leg, had Neil McCann sent off for a lunge at Vladimir Ivic after 63 minutes.

Julio Cesar then scored from the penalty spot, Nikolaos Liberopoulos headed home and Cesar fired in the third as Hearts began to tire late on.

Jamie Mole, an 18-year-old making his first appearance this season, had been a surprise inclusion up front for injury and illness-hit Hearts.

And Scotland midfielder Paul Hartley was given a start after returning from long-term injury.

Dionyssis Chiatos took over in goal for AEK with first-choice Stefano Sorentino having been injured in a minor road accident at the weekend.

But the action was quickly at the other end of the ground, with Liberopoulos firing a drive from 22 yards just over.

And Pantelis Kapetanos headed over from just five yards after he was left unmarked at a corner.

A Saulius Mikoliunas pass put Mole clear at the other end, but the striker's flick beyond Chiotis was not firm enough and Nikos Georgeas cleared from in front of goal.

Panagiotis Lagos missed an even better chance for AEK, firing straight at goalkeeper Craig Gordon from 16 yards.

And unmarked Hartley ought to have put Hearts ahead when he was found by a McCann flick on but headed straight at Chiotis from eight yards.

Hearts were reduced to 10 men when Brellier was shown a second yellow card after 29 minutes for what looked like an innocuous elbow moments after being booked for wearing an earring.

Brellier, who had been missing for the first leg, had been excellent in a midfield holding role and AEK began to make use of the extra space.

Liberopoulos again missed from close range with a header and Cesar fired just over from 20 yards.

Cesar emerged for the second half with his finger taped after Hearts' complaints that the winger should have been booked for wearing a ring.

But Hearts' hopes were extinguished after 63 minutes when a frustrated McCann made a two-footed tackle on Ivic.

Cesar fired home after Deividas Cesnauskis pulled down Vassilios Lakis inside the box.

And Liberopoulos headed in from eight yards and Cesar added a third to end Hearts' brave fight and leave the Scots hoping for better luck in the Uefa Cup.

AEK Athens: Chiotis, Pautasso (Tozser 72), Cirillo, Dellas, Georgeas, Emerson, Ivic, Lagos (Lakis 54), Julio Cesar, Liberopoulos (Kampantais 84), Kapetanos.
Subs Not Used: Arbatzis, Moras, Tziortziopoulos, Kiriakidis.

Booked: Liberopoulos, Georgeas, Julio Cesar.

Goals: Julio Cesar 79 pen, Liberopoulos 82, Julio Cesar 86.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Berra, Fyssas, Brellier, Mikoliunas, McCann, Cesnauskis (Wallace 81), Hartley (Jankauskas 61), Mole (Pinilla 89).
Subs Not Used: Banks, Beslija, Karipidis, Elliot.

Sent Off: Brellier (30), McCann (63). Booked: Neilson, Brellier, Mikoliunas, Fyssas.

Att: 45,000

Ref: Yuri Baskakov (Russia)

Taken from the BBC