AEK Athens 3 Hearts 0 (Agg: 5-1)

By Graham Wood, PA Sport, Athens

Two dismissals and three late goals on a crazy Athens night ensured Hearts' Champions League dreams were left in ruins after Valdas Ivanauskas nine-man team slumped to a 3-0 defeat against AEK Athens, losing their third qualifying round tie 5-1 on aggregate.

What was already an uphill task for Hearts with a 2-1 first leg deficit to overturn became an impossible mission after Frenchman Julien Brellier's first-half dismissal for collecting two yellow cards, and Neil McCann's departure midway through the second half on a miserable night for the Edinburgh club at the Olympic Stadium.

A double from Julio Cesar sandwiched a Nikos Liberopoulos strike to seal the Greek club's win.

Hearts boss Valdas Ivanauskas sprang a surprise by including rookie striker Jamie Mole in his starting line-up.

With a 2-1 deficit to overturn from the first leg at Murrayfield two weeks ago Ivanauskas turned to the 18-year-old - who has not even played a single competitive game for Hearts this season - as well as giving fit-again midfielder Paul Hartley his first start since the Scottish Cup final on May 13.

Ivanauskas, whose team dropped from top to fifth in the Bank of Scotland Premier League on Sunday following the 2-0 defeat to Rangers, opted to throw Hartley in at the deep end despite the 29-year-old only playing the last 20 minutes of Sunday's match as the Lithuanian looked to claim a place in the lucrative group stages of Europe's premier competition.

AEK were without injured first choice goalkeeper Stefano Sorentino, who is expected to be sidelined for a month after being injured in a minor car crash as their sought to protect their solid advantage from the first leg.

Mole had a superb opportunity to make a name for himself when presented with the best chance of the opening 20 minutes following a quick breakaway led by Neil McCann.

Having started the match cautiously, Hearts found themselves on a rare foray upfield when McCann broke clear and released Mole with a neat through ball.

But the youngster seemed to be caught in two minds as to whether to shoot or round AEK goalkeeper Hiotis as he broke clear in the left side of the penalty area.

And, although his weak toe-poke beat Hiotis, the slow rolling ball was easily cleared by the home defence.

AEK had threatened to score earlier with a long-range Nikos Liberopoulos shot and a Pantelis Kapetanos header.

And the Greeks should have taken the lead in the 25th minute but Panagiotis Lagos shot straight at Hearts keeper Craig Gordon when he was through one-on-one by Kapetanos.

Hearts were dealt a massive blow when midfielder Brellier was sent off on the half-hour mark after being shown a second yellow card by Russian referee Yuri Baskakov for a tough aerial challenge on Vladan Ivic.

Although television replays suggested the former Inter Milan man led with his elbow, it was a harsh decision for the visitors, who had their backs to the wall for the rest of the half.

With their tails up, AEK created two great chances to extend their lead in the tie which Liberopoulos somehow contrived to miss.

The first came two minutes after Brellier's dismissal when Cesar slipped in a left-wing cross only for the former Greek international to miss what looked to be a simple tap-in from six yards.

Liberopoulos was guilty of profligacy five minutes later when he found himself all alone three yards from goal on the end of a Cesar corner.

But, with Gordon stranded and the goal gaping, Liberopoulos headed wide of the right upright.

The AEK fans were off their seats again just two minutes later when the impressive Cesar flashed a shot inches over the crossbar after cutting in from the right flank.

HT: AEK Athens 0 Hearts 0 (AEK lead 2-1 on aggregate)

AEK left-back Nikos Georgeas registered the first shot on target in the second half five minutes after the restart, but his low drive from the edge of the 18-yard box was comfortably smothered by Hiotis.

Three minutes later, three AEK players were queuing up at the back-post to meet Lagos' cross but Ivic headed narrowly over.

Hearts were continually forced to play deep inside their own half as AEK controlled the play, but had the home fans worried 15 minutes into the half when Mole broke dangerously down the right flank.

The teenager had only Neil McCann to aim for in the penalty area though and his cross was smothered by Hiotis in the AEK goal.

AEK finally opened the scoring with 11 minutes left after winning a penalty courtesy of Lakis.

The former Crystal Palace winger was felled in the box by Deividas Cesnauskis and Cesar slotted a left-footed shot home from the penalty spot.

And on a night when he spurned so many chances striker Liberopoulos finally found the net with eight minutes remaining to head home AEK's second goal from a Georgeas cross.

Hearts were well and truly on the rack with four minutes left on the clock as Cesar teased and tricked his way past defender Christophe Berra before grabbing his second and AEK's third goal of the game with a low side-footed striker past Gordon from just inside the penalty area.

Teams

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.

Agg (5-1)

Att: 50,000

Ref: Yuri Baskakov (Russia).

Taken from sportinglife.com