Hearts say their goodnights to Vienna with comfortable win

HEARTS finished the Austrian leg of their pre-season tour with a confidence-boosting win yesterday, an own goal from Franz Schmier coupled with another by Fernando Troyansky in the second-
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half putting them well on their way before a late strike from Florian Metz made the scoreline more respectable.

The Franz Horr Stadion in Vienna is, like all traditional football stadiums, tucked in the middle of a housing scheme in very much the same way as Tynecastle is the focal point of Gorgie. Yet, after spending the last ten days concentrating fully on training at their mountainous base in Walschee, this was what the players were working for - a real football match in real surroundings.

Austria Vienna had a disappointing season last term by their own standards, finishing fifth and missing out on European football. However, with a passionate crowd cheering them on from behind the goal, they made it seem like the football season was just around the corner again. Hearts, of course, still have to negotiate the second part of their tour when they head out to Germany next Wednesday for another 11-day stint, before they pack in one final warm-up match against Barcelona on July 28.

And the home side started strongly before Hearts switched on the domination button. With Laryea Kingston proving a tough player to pin down, Hearts drove at the hosts, doing their best to dampen the spirits of the home crowd. He started the seventh-minute move that ended with Kestutis Ivaskevicius crossing for unmarked stand-in captain Christophe Berra forcing a save from Szabolcs Safar. Six minutes later Hearts survived a major injury scare when the talented Saulius Mikoliunas was floored by Yuksel Sariyar and required treatment.

Austria Vienna began to find their feet, however, and an Andreas Lasnik set-piece resulted in Franz Schiemer's downward header being turned over by Steve Banks. Schiemer was destined to score, though. But not at the right end. Mikoliunas stole a yard inside the Austria Vienna penalty box and fired a hopeful low ball across the face of goal, which Schiemer tamely turned into his own net.

Samel Kuljic tried for a quickfire response at the other end with a first-time volley that was saved by Banks. Lasnik then fired wide with a snapshot as Vienna tried to find a way back in before the break.

Hearts doubled their advantage ten minutes after the break when Berra's foraging runs into the box finally paid off. This time it was the cross of half-time substitute Fernando Screbis, their new Argentine signing, that set him up to head goalwards from close range, Vienna defender Troyansky getting the final touch into the net.

Austria Vienna refused to lie down, though, and they quickly reduced the advantage when Metz met Lasnik's ball into the box to nod in. Then, after a host of changes from the visiting side, Hearts lost another person from their bench as former coach Eduard Malofeev - officially in Austria to "oversee" the Hearts tour - was sent to the stands for continually breaching his technical area.

Man of the moment Thomas Flogel then made a seven-minute appearance for the home side - to signify the fact that he wore that very number for both clubs - as Hearts held out for a win.

Austria Vienna: Safar; Troyansky, Beanchard, Gercaliu, Metz, Lasnik, Schiemer, Sariyar, Kuljic, Acimovic, Standfest

Hearts: Banks (Kurskis 46); Kancelskis (Neilson 65), Goncalves (Park 82), Berra, Zaliukas, Stewart (Pilabitis 46), Ivaskevicius (McCann 55), Velicka, Pospisil (Mole 60), Kingston (Screpis 46), Mikoliunas (Cesnauskis 46)

Referee: Fritz Stuchlik

Taken from the Scotsman