Kaiserslautern 1-0 Hearts

Jul 26 2008 By Chris Roberts In Germany

CSABA LASZLO says Hearts are going in the right direction but their short-lived resurgence ground to a halt in Marburg last night.

The Romanian enjoyed his first win in the hot-seat on Wednesday, watching his side beat Rheingau Auswahl 6-0.

But having stepped up in class to face German Second Division side Kaiserslautern, it was evident they have a long way to go before watching owner Vladimir Romanov will share the coach's optimism.

Having suffered their third defeat in four pre-season games, the new signings Laszlo and the club supremo have been discussing need to materialise quickly if they are to improve on last season's misery.

Romanov posed for pictures with fans prior to kick-off as he relaxed among the 2000 punters in the main stand.

Kaiserslautern might be in Bun desliga 2 but they were certainly a step up in class from Rheingau Auswahl.

The crowd came to life after four minutes when a streaker ran the length of the pitch - an event which even brought a wry smile to the face of the Hearts owner.

There was just as little on view for a while after that brief interruption as the Scottish side went about making it two consecutive wins for Laszlo.

The Romanian glared at Marius Zaliukas in the 15th minute as his passback bobbled slowly towards Steve Banks. But the keeper sprinted from his line to make the clearance before Erik Jendrisek could pounce.

Hearts were almost embarrassed again seven minutes later when Florian Dick sent Laureutiu Reghecampf racing towards the touchline but his cross flashed across the face of goal, just evading the arriving Jendrisek.

That sparked an immediate response from the men from Gorgie and they had Tobias Sippel in the home goal a worried man in the 26th minute.

The lively Andrew Driver skipped down the left and his cross arrived at Jamie Mole who in turn teed up Laryea Kingston to blast a powerful low right-foot shot past the far upright from the edge of the area.

The Ghana midfielder again showed his imagination moments later. He fed Juho Makela but the striker, who this week returned from a loan spell in Finland, lifted the ball over Sippel but unfortunately also over the bar from 19 yards out to let the German outfit off the hook.

There was plenty of height in the Hearts side and they almost used that to their advantage on the halfhour when Makela jumped above the defence to head Kingston's corner just over the top from close range.

Hearts came close to going ahead in the 32nd minute when Driver sent Mole scurrying away towards the touchline and he picked out Kingston arriving at the back post, but Sascla Kotysch got back in time to clear his effort off the line.

Kaiserslautern showed they were nobody's mugs moments later when Sebastian Runort sent a right-foot shot hurtling towards the top corner from 25 yards but Banks adjusted his feet quickly and palmed the ball over the top.

From the resulting corner the keeper was caught flat-footed but Dick powered Alexander Bugera's corner past the post from just five yards.

Laszlo again looked red in the face as a young kid in a full Hearts strip snubbed him after he had turned around to shake his hand on the touchline.

The Hearts boss was raging again in the dying seconds of the half when his side went behind through a stunning 22-yard screamer from Jendrisek.

The Kaiserslautern man thumped a crossfield pass from Reghecampf past Banks and into the top corner of the net.

Laszlo made one change in personnel and to the system after the break with Saulius Mikoliunas coming on for Makela as Hearts changed from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 formation.

But Kaiserslautern gave the visitors another major scare just after the break when Aimen Demai sent a long-range effort flying just past the post.

Laszlo responded by making wholesale changes and every one of the players going off shook hands with the entire bench in another show of togetherness.

With the changes, the Jambos had improved and Mikoliunas drew a top save from Sippel after a jinking run from new hope Gary Glen in the 61st minute.

With 21 minutes left Laszlo decided to throw on trialist Mike Tullberg, who arrived in the camp from Reggina as a last throw of the dice.

The 24-year-old had played previously for Aarhus in Denmark and joined Shunsuke Nakamura's former club in Serie A last year.

However, he failed to make any sort of impact in the short time he was on the field.

In fact, Jendrisek had stolen the show with his first-half strike and he almost doubled his side's advantage when he seized on to a loose ball and drilled a right-foot shot towards goal. But, Banks, who played the full 90 minutes along with Christophe Berra and Lee Wallace, pushed the ball clear.

HEARTS Banks, Thomson, Zaliukas (Karipidis 52), Berra, Wallace, Kingston (Glen 55), Jonsson (Palazuelos 52), Stewart (Husband 78), Driver (Ivas kevicius 55); Makela (Mikoliunas 46), Mole (Tullberg 68). Subs (not used) - MacDonald, McGowan, Ksanavicius, Templeton.

Taken from the Daily Record