Hearts of darkness as EURO exit nears

FOR Hearts this is becoming a familiar, and increasingly unpleasant, feeling. Outclassed and overwhelmed in another "home" European match, the side which took Scotland by storm last season now look a pale shadow of themselves.

After the dejection of AEK Athens' late-night robbery at Murrayfield last month, Sparta Prague inflicted an equally comprehensive defeat on Valdas Ivanauskas and his players last night. Now it is becoming an effort simply to keep the Hearts supporters on side.

Their discontent peaked midway through the second half of this defeat when Mirsad Beslija, one of the better performers on a miserable evening, was withdrawn along with Chilean forward Mauricio Pinilla.

"I can understand the fans' reaction," said Ivanauskas. "Mauricio tried to play football but with the heavy pitch it was not possible. He had big problems with his feet on the pitch because it was very hard for him to work on that surface.

"Paul Hartley and Bruno Aguiar were working very hard and I knew it wasn't easy for those players to work for 90 minutes on such a heavy pitch. Both players have also been injured for some time and I felt we needed more action so we brought Tall on and he did okay."

It is difficult to ignore the Murrayfield factor when dissecting Hearts' display last night. Playing at the home of Scottish Rugby may offer greater financial incentive for those who pull the purse strings at Tynecastle, but having seen their team outplayed there by both AEK and Sparta Prague supporters are now beginning to yearn for the kind of European nights that famed Gorgie in years gone by.

Bayern Munich, for example: A night when character and passion totally overwhelmed a team with superior technical ability. It is surely incontestible that Sparta would have been examined much more thoroughly by Hearts had this tie been played on the other side of West Approach Road. That it wasn't allowed the Czechs to settle into a short-passing rhythm that proved impossible to interrupt.

"This was our last big chance to stay in European football and we just didn't perform tonight," said goalkeeper Craig Gordon. "We had a weakened side out but that doesn't excuse the performance and we have now given ourselves a massive task across in Prague.

"We never really tested their goalkeeper and I think we have to learn from that."

Hearts, in truth, posed scant threat to Jaromir Blazek in the Sparta goal. The weather, whilst not being a viable excuse, did not aid their cause as relentless rain left the Murrayfield surface peppered with a series of puddles.

As the ball splashed its way around midfield neither team was able to construct anything resembling a passing movement in the early stages, with Robbie Neilson's right flank in the first half especially affected by surface water.

Minus the industrious Deividas Cesnauskis, the home support looked to record signing Beslija to provide a creative streak on one of his rare starts. Ivanauskas deployed 18-year-old Jamie Mole in an unorthodox role on the left flank and saw the youngster toil to have an influence on the proceedings, but Beslija was keen to capitalise on the wide open spaces of Murrayfield. After harrying full-back Michal Kadlec into conceding possession he got above his opponent seconds later to head Roman Bednar's cross tamely at Blazek.

More pressure was applied by Beslija moments later as he won possession from Kadlec again before Hartley's dangerous cross flashed across goal begging to be met by a maroon shirt. The Bosnian's contribution was rousing those in the stands as he betrayed a fresh desire and willingness that he hopes can finally allow him to establish himself in the side. However, Sparta responded to his endeavour with a couple of Libor Dosek efforts and then a drive from Ludovic Sylvestre that Gordon did well to tip over his crossbar.

On 34 minutes the clever Jan Simak fed Daniel Kolar on the edge of the Hearts penalty area, and the left winger spun to fire a competent dispatch beyond Gordon with his right foot. The away goal jolted the Hearts players as much as it encouraged their guests, and the move that created it only emphasised the more adventurous approach of Sparta.

As half-time approached Sparta centre-back Jiri Homola could have afforded his side a greater cushion when he eluded Robbie Neilson and climbed for a free header at the back post from Simak's corner. His effort, somehow, sailed over the crossbar before Roman Bednar headed Hearts' first serious attempt at goal into Blazek's arms.

Ivanauskas and his players departed to booing at the interval, but to their credit re-emerged looking more sprightly. The head coach had watched Paul Hartley strive almost single-handedly to command the game from the middle of the park in the first half, but his longer passes were never suited to the sodden surface and after the break Hearts were more compact as a team and their passing crisper.

Indeed, for a short spell at the start of the second period the equaliser seemed possible. Lee Wallace found Jamie Mole from an advanced position near the left corner flag, and the teenager cut inside to unleash a dangerous shot at Blazek which the keeper fisted clear.

The increased impetus in Hearts' play was obvious as Bednar aimed a long-range effort just wide.

However, just as hope was raised, so too was Sparta's game. Substitute Miroslav Matusovic combined with Dosek to meander through the home defence, playing a sequence of one-twos before eyeballing Gordon and clipping a right-footed effort inches wide from eight yards. Then came the kind of contribution from the Scotland goalkeeper that deserved a place on the winning side on its own. Inside five seconds, he executed three wonderful saves to postpone Sparta's second goal. First came Dosek's shot from Kolar's cutback, the ball was repelled and fell to Matusovic who returned it off the keeper's legs, and the second rebound was instantly struck back at goal by Karol Kisel. Again, Gordon defied him.

But even he couldn't be expected to maintain this one-man show of resilience, and on 72 minutes Matusovic scored the goal that may very well finish this tie and Hearts' European hopes for another season. As seems par for the course with the Edinburgh club at present, there was a contentious decision from an official at the centre of the build-up when the assistant referee on the far side, Fabrizio Lanciani, allowed Dosek to collect a clearance from one of his defenders whilst still running back from an offside position.

The striker turned instantly with no flag to deter him and set off for goal. He was halted by a Christophe Berra tackle and, with the Hearts support roaring their disapproval at the lack of an offside call, the ball fell to Matusovic and the substitute cut inside for another raking long-range effort which flew past Gordon on its way to the bottom left corner.

The result was never in doubt during the remaining 18 minutes with the home players looking a thoroughly despondent bunch. As well as leaving the proverbial mountain to be climbed in the Czech Republic in two weeks' time, Ivanauskas will now be forced to contend with mounting speculation on his future as head coach.

Vladimir Romanov may have hands-on involvement in team selection at the club but he is never likely to emerge to take the flak when things aren't going to plan.

What is not in question is that his team took precisely what they deserved from another European foray at Murrayfield last night.

Taken from the Scotsman