Rheingau-Auswahl 0-6 Hearts

Jul 24 2008 By Chris Roberts

VLADIMIR ROMANOV flew into Germany yesterday and saw Csaba Laszlo notch his first win as Hearts manager in his third game in charge.

But the former Uganda national boss, who will have summit talks with the Jambos owner today to discuss signings for the season ahead, wasn't satisfied with the crushing victory against admittedly poor opposition.

He insisted his side should have scored more and will "reward" his players with three training sessions today - ahead of tomorrow's clash with Kaiserslautern - with the first starting at 7am.

Laszlo said: "We didn't score as many goals as we should have with the chances we had.

"But I am happy about the team spirit and the kind of football we played. The players are tired but must do a little bit more against Kaiserslautern.

"Results aren't important at the moment, it's about how we play. I thought we had made big strides from the earlier matches against Glentoran and Dunfermline and will go forward and improve with each game."

Six different players were on the scoresheet - Audrius Ksanavicius, Christophe Berra, Marius Zaliukas, Laryea Kingston, Michael Stewart and Juho Makela - in a clash where Laszlo made 10 changes at the break.

Romanov, who arrived in Frankfurt after watching his Lithuanian club Kaunas book a Champions League qualifying clash with Rangers, saw Hearts quickly power into a 2-0 lead.

They opened the scoring against the Rheingau regional select side after five minutes. Their hosts made a meal of clearing an Andrew Driver cross and Ksanavicius smashed the ball past keeper Roman Melzer from nine yards out.

Ksanavicius could have been celebrating an early double minutes later but Mustafa Akton raced back to his line to head clear.

However, the Scots were coasting in the German sunshine and in the 10th minute Gary Glen nodded on a Kingston corner and skipper Berra swivelled to blast past Melzer.

The home side, made up of players from local amateur clubs, went further behind in the 18th minute when Zaliukas, left unmarked in a crowded box, powered Ksanavicius' corner home.

The game was so one-sided Hearts keeper Steve Banks didn't touch the ball until the 26th minute. Teenager Glen was looking menacing in attack and could have added to Hearts' tally had Melzer not thrown himself to his right to somehow deny the striker.

As the interval approached Ksanavicius had an effort cleared off the line before Glen missed a sitter. But Hearts went four up after Jurgen Bierschenk sent Ksanavicius crashing inside the box and Kingston scored from the spot.

Lee Wallace was the only player from the starting 11 to return for the second half. Sub Stewart was quick to make his mark. He picked up a loose ball in the 57th minute, after Melzer had pushed away Deividas Cesnauskis' drive, and sent a right foot shot into the top corner from 22 yards out.

Two minutes later Hearts made it six when JuhoMakela, just back from a loan spell in Helsinki, volleyed home a deep delivery from the lively Cesnauskis.

Jamie Mole was looking to get in on the act but sub keeper Christian Neumenn pulled off a superb double save before Rolf Muehlsiegel raced back to clear the frontman's third attempt off the line.

The Hearts players were smiling at the final whistle and weren't the only ones as Romanov left for the team hotel wearing his Hearts tracksuit top and a big grin.

Taken from the Daily Record