HEARTS ensured injury time pain in Plzen to leave their Europa League hopes hanging in the balance.
For 90-plus minutes it looked as if Steven Naismith’s Jambos had got their campaign back on track with their most disciplined display of the season.
Blair Spittal of Hearts shows a look as dejection after the brutal end[/caption]
Daniel Oyegoke of Hearts scores an own goal[/caption]
But as the clock ticked down sub Daniel Oyegoke turned the ball past record breaker Craig Gordon under pressure from John Mosquera.
It was a bitter blow for the Tynecastle side, who will still believe they can turn things around at Tynecastle next week.
After weathering an early storm in Czechia they were the better side for long periods.
And they went close to winning themselves with Marian Tvrdon making two fine stops to deny Lawrence Shankland.
Plzen is the home of Pilsener lager, which Hearts fans had enjoyed in the sunshine in the lively town square.
The Doosan Arena was just a ten minute walk away for the 650-strong travelling support.
And when they got there the shock news was there was NO Zander Clark in goal or on the bench.
The Scotland keeper, who had flown with the team, was a last minute casualty in Plzen with a back injury.
So Gordon came in to make his 23rd European appearance for the Tynecastle club.
The veteran had previously been tied with Steven Pressley and Henry Smith on 22.
But this saw the 41-year-old move out ahead on his own.
Skipper Lawrence Shankland unsurprisingly returned in attack.
Frankie Kent and Kye Rowles came in alongside Stephen Kingsley at the back.
And Cammy Devlin, Malachi Boateng and Jorge Grant made up a combative midfield.
Hearts, in gold and white, started on the front foot, forcing a corner in the first minute.
Kingsley rose highest but was unable to direct his header at the target.
Daniel Vasulin then did likewise at the other end as the sides traded early blows.
Rowles stepped in to deny Erik Jirka inside the Jambos box in the 6th minute.
Cammy Devlin’s high boot on Lukas Cerv gave them a shooting chance just outside the box.
Gordon watched skipper Lukas Kalvach’s effort sail over the bar.
Traffic, though, was starting to head towards the veteran’s goal at a worrying rate.
Kent stepped in to deny Vasulin after Pavel Sulc had got in down the left.
And Gordon made his first big stop of the game in the 18th minute.
This time Plzen got in down the right and a cross was swung over to the back post.
Havel managed to outmuscle Gerard Taylor and get his header on target.
Lawrence Shankland tested the Plzen defence and keeper on a few occasions[/caption]
But Gordon was on hand to turn the ball around his near post for a corner.
The pressure, though, was increasing as red and blue shirts swarmed forward.
Sulc was next to go close with his shot cleared off the line by Jorge Grant with Gordon beaten.
Aussie Devlin was booked for a rash challenge on Cerv in the 22nd minute.
And Hearts survived another scare 10 minutes from the break.
This time Havel found a yard of space and his header was inches wide of Gordon’s post.
And Vargas was next to be booked for a foul as frustration began to grow.
By this stage the Jambos were already being given warnings about time wasting.
But they then carved out a huge chance out of nothing as half-time approached.
Rowles’ nodded the ball into the path of Vargas, who raced through on goal.
Keeper Marian Tvrdon got some of the ball and a good bit of Vargas as well.
But German ref Sven Drablonski waved away appeals for a penalty.
Shankland hadn’t seen much of the ball up to this point.
But that all changed just before the break when he went close twice in quick succession.
First Grant’s ball was laid off by Devlin into the path of the Scotland striker.
His shot was eventually beaten away by keeper Tvrdon at the second attempt.
And boosted by that he had another go at goal a minute later.
This time Vargas helped the ball into his path and Shankland cut inside his defender.
And he lashed in a low effort that Tvrdon did well to keep out.
It was a good end to the first half, and Hearts restarted the game the same way.
Shankland’s clever reverse pass in the 49th minute sent Vargas away.
But the Costa Rican blazed over under pressure from Sampson Dweh’s desperate lunge.
Back came Plzen with Gordon doing well to block Kalvach’s effort with his foot.
Viktoria, though, were struggling to create as much as they had in the first half.
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Naismith sent on Blair Spittal and Daniel Oyegoke for Grant and Taylor in the 75th minute.
A timely block from Kingsley denied Sulc from just inside the box.
Liam Boyce replaced Shankland with ten minutes left to give Plzen a different threat.
Boateng pulled up injured as the clock ticked down but managed to go back on.
Yutaro Oda replaced Vargas in the 88th minute to provide more fresh legs.
And skipper Kalvach saw yellow late on for moaning as Plzen’s frustration spilled over.
But with time running out sub Cadu crossed to the back post, where Mosquera was racing in.
And as he tried to clear Oyegoke instead helped the ball in off Gordon’s right post with his thigh with the keeper unable to do anything about it.
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