Sparta cruise against Hearts

Daniel Kolar gave the visitors a deserved lead on 34 minutes and Miroslav Matusovic sealed the victory with his second half strike to give the Czechs a comfortable away win.

Jambos keeper Craig Gordon did his best to keep the visitors at bay, but could do nothing to prevent the two goals.

Valdas Ivanauskas's side have already been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League this season, at the qualifying stage and the signs now look ominous in the lesser European competition as well.

Bosnian Mirsad Beslija came into the Hearts side for his first start of the season, while Bruno Aguiar returned to the midfield following his hamstring injury alongside youngster Jamie Mole.

Chilean striker Mauricio Pinilla teamed up with Roman Bednar up front in a Jambos side hit by suspensions and injuries.

The kick-off was delayed because of smoke from the pre-match firework display, but it was the wet conditions, which had the biggest impact on the game, creating puddles in the pitch - hampering any attempt at a passing game.

But it was the visitors who created the first opening, on 10 minutes, when midfielder Ludovic Sylvestre broke into the box after a one-two with Libor Dosek, but slid his right-footed shot inches past the post.

The Jambos' first opening of the match did not come until the 25th minute when Beslija met with Mole's cross. But his back-post header was easily collected by Sparta keeper Jaromir Blazek.

On the half hour mark, Craig Gordon was called into action, as he tipped Sylvestre's sweetly struck drive over the bar for a corner. While the resultant set piece came to nothing, the Scotland keeper could do nothing in the 34th minute when the Czechs made their dominance count.

The Hearts defence failed to clear their lines and the ball broke to Kolar at the edge of the penalty area, who rifled his shot into the top corner.

The Edinburgh crowd were stunned into silence. But Hearts were roused into a muted response as they searched for an equaliser. Just before the interval Sparta defender Jiri Homola was forced to head Jan Simak corner just over the bar, as The Jambos looked to get a foothold in the game.

The home fans tried to lift their side for the second-half, and in the 50th minute a long throw by full back Robbie Neilson was nearly diverted into his own net by Sparta defender Michal Kadlec.

Hearts continued to press with admirable energy, with the pacey Sparta side looking to counter and take advantage of the gaps left by the Scots at the back.

Ibrahim Tall and Deividas Cesnauskis came on in the 64th minute for Mauricio Pinilla and Beslija, bringing jeers from a section of the home support.

Seconds later it was Sparta substitute Matusovic, on for Jan Simak, who missed a glorious opportunity to put his side into an unassailable lead, but he only managed to flash his shot wide of the far post from six yards out.

But the attacks kept coming, and Gordon was forced to make three incredible saves in quick succession in the 70th minute. He first blocked Libor Dosek's low drive before he then rose smartly to save Sylvestre's volley from the rebound and finally capped it off by pushing Matusovic's close-range effort behind for a corner.

Matusovic soon atoned for his wasteful shooting, drilling an unstoppable shot past Gordon from 25 yards to make it 2-0 to Slavia.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of the home side and their supporters and the game petered out to a depressing end for the Edinburgh men.