Sparta Prague 0 Hearts 0 (Agg: 2-0)

By Ronnie Esplin, PA Sport, Prague

Hearts crashed out of the first round of the UEFA Cup with a 2-0 aggregate defeat after a goalless draw against Sparta Prague at the Toyota Arena.

The Edinburgh side had survived a first half in which the crossbar and a goalline clearance from Paul Hartley prevented the Czech Republic side from extending their advantage from the first encounter at Murrayfield.

Jambos youngster Jamie Mole missed a great opportunity three minutes after the interval and with that went the Gorgie side's chances of making the group stages.

Hearts started positively enough, led by skipper Steven Pressley who equalled Gorgie goalkeeping legend Henry Smith's record of 22 appearances in Europe for the Edinburgh side.

But the Tynecastle men rode their luck in the sixth minute when midfielder Hartley was handily placed on the line to clear an close-range effort by Sparta defender Zdenek Pospech following the home side's third corner in quick succession.

Moments later, Sparta striker Jan Simak hit a snap-shot from 30 yards which whistled past Craig Gordon's left-hand post.

Then, as the home side turned the screw, Daniel Kolar drilled a shot from the edge of the Hearts area which deflected off Jambos full-back Lee Wallace and crashed off the bar before eventually being cleared.

The Hearts goal was leading a charmed life and Gordon had to be at his best to beat away a long-range drive from Simak.

And as the first half developed, there was no indication that the visitors had the ability to grab the crucial opener that would put the tie back in the balance.

The Gorgie side's defending was becoming increasingly erratic and at times desperate.

On the half-hour mark Sparta midfielder Tomas Sivok missed a great chance to make the tie safe when, unmarked at the back post, he managed to head wide an in-swinging Simak corner.

Five minutes later Mole had half a chance when Sparta keeper Jaromir Blazek made a mess of a simple catch but the teenager failed to look up and crossed the ball aimlessly into the middle of the penalty area and the danger was easily averted.

Then, in the 38th minute, following more hesitancy in the Sparta defence, Deividas Cesnauskis blazed an angled volley from 16 yards high over the bar moments before Julien Brellier side-footed a 25-yard effort wide of the target.

Hearts passed up on a great a chance to score the opener just three minutes after the restart.

A Hartley header found Mauricio Pinilla bearing down on goal and with the Sparta defence exposed, the Chilean's presence led to the ball arriving at the feet of Mole.

The youngster only had Blazek to beat from 16 yards but drove the ball straight at him allowing the keeper to parry the ball behind for a corner.

Mole had missed a similar chance against AEK Athens in the Champions League qualifier which ultimately cost the Edinburgh side dearly and minutes later he appeared to be punished for his discretion when he was substituted for the Gorgie side's Czech striker Roman Bednar.

Then, in the 59th minute, after Bednar had been fouled by Tomas Repka, which earned the Czech defender a booking for his subsequent dissent, Hartley fired the free-kick high over the bar.

The Edinburgh side were edging towards that crucial goal but as the minutes ticked away, a sense of desperation began to pervade their efforts.

Sparta, however, seemed confident that their two-goal was always going to be enough and their play was neat and tidy if lacking the thrust of the first-half.

As they pushed forward looking for the goal, the Edinburgh men were leaving gaps at the back which Sparta threatened to exploit.

But even the visitors looked to have run out of ideas and energy as the 90 minutes moved toward its conclusion.

In the dying seconds Bednar came close when he fired just over the bar from 12 yards out.

No Scottish side has ever overturned a deficit in Europe after a home defeat in the first leg and Hearts, despite a valiant attempt, joined the long list of disappointments.

Teams:

Sparta Prague Blazek, Pospech, Repka, Homola, Kadlec, Kisel,Ludovic, Sivok, Kolar (Jun 86), Simak (Matusovic 64),Dosek (Lustrinelli 74).

Subs Not Used: Grigar, Hasek, Drobny, Zabavnik.

Booked: Dosek, Repka.

Hearts Gordon, Neilson (Tall 66), Pressley, Berra, Wallace,Mikoliunas, Brellier, Hartley, Cesnauskis, Mole (Bednar 56),Pinilla (Aguiar 83).

Subs Not Used: Banks, Beslija, Makela, Lithgow.

Booked: Brellier.

Att: 16,505

Ref: Peter Sippel (Germany).

Taken from sportinglife.com