SOCCER - BL, Sturm vs RBS GRAZ,AUSTRIA,06.OCT.24 - SOCCER - ADMIRAL Bundesliga, SK Sturm Graz vs Red Bull Salzburg. Image shows Amar Dedic RBS. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxAUTxSUIxSWE GEPAxpictures/xChrisxBauer
Hearts have been eliminated from the Champions League after suffering a comprehensive 6-0 aggregate defeat to Austrian side Sturm Graz across two legs.
Wouter Vrancken’s side had already left themselves with a near-impossible task after conceding four goals in Austria the previous week.
There were some early signs of encouragement at Tynecastle, but the visiting Austrians again demonstrated they were simply a cut above their Scottish opponents.
Goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow, playing what proved to be his final match for the club, kept the scoreline level during a goalless first half that offered Hearts some hope.
Sturm Graz had a goal correctly disallowed before the break after Seedy Jatta was adjudged to have fouled Harry Milne seconds before slotting a tap-in past Schwolow.
Hearts were eventually undone 19 minutes into the second half when striker Szymon Wlodarczyk won a flick-on from a long ball, allowing Simon Seidl to expertly control and rifle an unstoppable drive into the net.
The soon-to-be Mainz keeper was left frustrated minutes later when Emran Soglo’s shot was initially saved, only for the ball to bounce back off the full back and creep into the net.
Hearts hero and Record Sport columnist Ryan Stevenson did not hold back with his assessment of where the team currently stand heading into the domestic season.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound, Stevenson said: “I am genuinely worried about Saturday. If you are Aberdeen, you’re going to play it off the full-backs, get at them through the middle, and they will steamroll Hearts. They look so weak.”
Hearts will now drop into the Europa League third qualifying round, where they will face the winner of St Gallen versus Benfica.
Vrancken’s side have little time to dwell on the disappointment, with the Gorgie outfit travelling north to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie in the opening weekend of the new Premiership season on Saturday.
The Belgian manager had called for a magical night at Tynecastle, but all Hearts could conjure was another painful defeat that raises serious questions ahead of the domestic campaign.
A suspected muscle injury to Kyziridis during the second half added further worry for Vrancken, with the Greek wide man’s availability for the Aberdeen fixture now uncertain.
Sections of the Tynecastle crowd headed for the exits after the second goal went in, with the aggregate scoreline painting a stark picture of the gulf between the two sides.
Hearts badly lack a killer instinct in the final third, and with a trip to Pittodrie now just days away, Vrancken faces an urgent challenge to restore belief within his squad.
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