A hard day's night

Graeme Macpherson
Football Writer

THIS took football cruelty to a new level.

Hearts are out of Europe for another season but it is the manner of their exit that will surely sting for some time to come.

Given almost no chance of progressing to the group phase of the Europa League after losing 1-0 to Liverpool in the first leg at Tynecastle, they instead turned in another gutsy and determined display that took them to the brink of what would have been one of the biggest upsets of recent times. Hearts weathered a second-half storm then did the unthinkable by going ahead on the night after 84 minutes when a fierce David Templeton shot slipped out of Pepe Reina's grasp and into the back of the net in front of an incredulous away support.

The goal levelled the tie and seemed certain to take the match into extra-time, but there would be one further twist. Luis Suarez had missed a raft of chances throughout the encounter but one more opportunity presented itself two minutes from time and this time the Uruguayan made amends, his low shot arrowing into the net at the near post. Anfield erupted in relief at the knowledge Hearts were finally sunk.

There was little time for John McGlynn's side to reply but they had again turned in a performance to be proud of even if it did end, once more for a Scottish club, in glorious failure. "To take Liverpool so close but not come out on top is disappointing but it is a great achievement," McGlynn said. "This must give us a lot of confidence and we must take that into the SPL."

It would have been an incredible way for Templeton to sign off if this was to be his last game for Hearts. Charles Green, the Rangers owner, had confirmed they had made an improved offer to take the attacker to Ibrox and now await an answer.

Templeton looked bright again last night in front of owner Vladimir Romanov – a Beatles obsessive – who had travelled over from Lithuania for the match. At 23, the winger's best years are undoubtedly still ahead of him and it remains to be seen whether he wants to spend them in the lower leagues of Scottish football. The size of the transfer fee – reputed to be less than £1m for Ryan McGowan and Templeton – may dictate whether that is the former's decision to make or not.

Hearts had been praised for their enterprising first-leg performance and they were no less bold here even if they saw less of the ball. It was imperative they scored first if they were to have any chance of progressing to the group phase and they set about their task eagerly, identifying Stewart Downing, filling in at left-back, as a weakness.

Callum Paterson and McGowan were willing and regular raiders down the Hearts' right even if their endeavour didn't always lead to chances. Paterson flashed an effort wide before Arvydas Novikovas and John Sutton combined to set up Medhi Taouil, whose low trundler was easily gathered by Reina.

That was the closest Hearts came to scoring in the first half, a half-hearted penalty appeal following a coming-together between Jamie Carragher and Paterson waved away by the Russian referee Vladislav Bezdorodov. Comrade Romanov would not have been best pleased.

Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, had promised to bring back some of his star names and didn't disappoint. Steven Gerrard, Suarez and Martin Skrtel were all involved, while £15m summer signing Joe Allen was also in from the start. There was no Andy Carroll, who was in London completing a loan move to West Ham United, and no Charlie Adam either whose time at Anfield seems to be drawing to a close.

Liverpool began slowly but warmed to the task. The impish Suarez was at the centre of most of their good work, wriggling away from defenders and finding space to play in even the tightest of scenarios even if his finishing left a lot to be desired.

It was the Uruguayan who had Liverpool's first chance of the game – Marius Zaliukas cleared his attempt off the line – before young Adam Morgan thrashed in an effort that Jamie MacDonald gathered at the second attempt.

Liverpool thought they had made the breakthrough when Morgan turned in Suarez's cutback, but the ball had drifted out of play before the cross came in. Hearts breathed again and, by half-time, were still in the contest.

The home side turned it up a notch in the second half and Suarez passed up two golden chances to seal the tie . For the first he burst through Hearts' offside trap, rounded MacDonald but took too long to get his shot away. Minutes later, Jonjo Shelvey robbed the dithering Novikovas to set up the Uruguayan but his shot flashed wide of the post.

Hearts were by now leading a charmed life but the longer the game remained goalless, they were still in the tie. Templeton's goal offered the glimpse of a miracle only for Suarez to snatch it away minutes later, sliding in at MacDonald's near post. It can be a cruel game.

Taken from the Herald