Luckless Daniel Oyegoke’s personal purpose deep in second-half stoppage-time gave Viktoria Plzen a slender 1-0 benefit over Hearts of their Europa League play-off tie within the Doosan Enviornment.
The house facet in all probability had extra of the clear-cut possibilities within the first leg in Czechia however it appeared like Steven Naismith’s facet would take a goalless draw again to Tynecastle for the return sport subsequent week.
Nonetheless, within the last minute of six added on the finish of the far-from-thrilling encounter, a cross to the again publish by house substitute Cadu was changed into his personal web from shut vary by Oyegoke – who got here on for Gerald Taylor after 75 minutes – handy the house facet victory.
On the proof of 90 minutes plus, nonetheless, the Gorgie facet will fancy their possibilities of overturning that scoreline in Edinburgh.
There was an historic side to the night time with 41-year-old goalkeeper Craig Gordon making his twenty third European look for Hearts, surpassing Steven Pressley and Henry Smith’s file of twenty-two – and he made key saves.
Naismith made 5 adjustments to the facet which began the Premier Sports activities Cup defeat by Championship facet Falkirk on the weekend, whereas shifting to a few on the again.
Captain Lawrence Shankland, Frankie Kent, Kye Rowles, Jorge Grant and Cammy Devlin all began and shortly, like the remainder of the Tynecastle facet, discovered themselves on the again foot.
Within the 18th minute, Gordon made a very good response save from Milan Havel’s header on the again publish.
A minute or so later he was overwhelmed by Pavel Sulc’s shot from 16 yards, however defender Grant cleared the ball, a yard from purpose.
Within the thirty fifth minute, Erik Jirka’s deep cross from the left was headed broad by Havel on the far publish however Hearts pepped up in direction of the tip of the primary half.
4 minutes later, defender Rowles arrange attacker Kenneth Vargas however his lob previous Marian Tvrdon went broad earlier than he was clattered by the house goalkeeper, with half-hearted penalty claims ignored by referee Sven Jablonski.
The Edinburgh facet stepped up their efforts and Shankland had two drives saved by Tvrdon, permitting Naismith and his males to enter the interval with extra encouragement and Vargas began the second half by flashing a shot over the crossbar.
Nonetheless, Gordon needed to make one other save from Sulc’s close-range drive after Lukas Cerv burrowed into the Jambos field in Viktoria.
Plzen tried for drive the purpose however Hearts held agency.
Within the 78th minute, Sulc’s goal-bound drive from 16 yards hit defender Stephen Kingsley and went behind for a nook which was once more defended.
However all Hearts’ good work was undone within the last seconds by Oyegoke, though Hearts will imagine this tie is way from over.
