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Showing posts with the label Champions League 26/27

Hearts drop down to Europa League

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Hearts 0 - 2 Sturm Graz (Sturm Graz won 6-0 on aggregate) Hearts endured another painful night against Sturm Graz as their first Champions League campaign in two decades came to a swift and sobering end. Author | Peter Grainger  Stadium | Tynecastle Two second-half goals condemned Wouter Vrancken’s side to a 6-0 aggregate defeat against the slick Austrians in the second qualifying round, their heaviest loss over two legs in European competition. Hearts now drop into the Europa League third qualifying round, where they will face either St Gallen or Benfica. The two sides meet in the second leg on Thursday, with St Gallen holding a 2-1 advantage. It was a comfortable night for the Austrian side With Sturm already four goals ahead from the first meeting, Seedy Jatta appeared to extinguish any lingering hopes of a Hearts revival after 25 minutes in Edinburgh. The forward was left unmarked in the six-yard box and tapped beyond Alexander Schwolow, only for the effort to be ruled out for ...

Hearts thrashed in Champions League qualifier

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Sturm Graz 4 - 0 Hearts Wouter Vrancken's reign as Hearts head coach began in the worst fashion as his side slumped to a damaging defeat in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier. Author | Ben A Stadium | Stadion Graz-Liebenau After missing out on the Scottish title in the closing moments of last season, the Edinburgh club were making their first appearance in the competition since 2006, but the occasion quickly unravelled. Sturm Graz took the lead after just four minutes when Jon Gorenc Stankovic rose highest to head home from a long throw. Hearts responded positively for a spell, however. Pierre Landry Kabore and Alexandros Kyziridis both squandered excellent opportunities, moments that proved increasingly costly as the match wore on. Watch | Highlights from Premier Sports Early in the second half, Sturm doubled their advantage from a corner as defender Jeyland Mitchell was left unmarked to tap home after poor defending at the set-piece. Three soon became four as Heart...