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Hearts’ 100 per cent record in the Europa Conference League came to a grinding halt at Tynecastle on Thursday night as German side Heidenheim left Edinburgh with a 2-0 victory.
Neil Critchley’s Hearts team were superior in the first half in front of a packed stadium in Gorgie, but were left to rule missed chances from Lawrence Shankland, Frankie Kent and Alan Forrest as they failed to take advantage of their authority.
The Bundesliga side stepped up their level after the break and took the lead when winger Sirlord Conteh got on the end of a Mathias Honsak cross on 57 minutes.
As Hearts pressed for a leveller, Heidenheim clinched the match when Jan Schoppner rose above Frankie Kent to powerfully head home on 89 minutes.
The result leaves Hearts on six points in the Conference League ahead of their two remaining away trips to Copenhagen and Cercle Brugge before welcoming Petrocub to Tynecastle.
We give each starter a mark out of ten for their performance at Tynecastle.
1. Craig Gordon
The veteran Hearts keeper was largely redundant for much of the first half, his only act of note coming to punch a cross that was headed back towards goal by Lennard Maloney. Little chance with the goals. 6 | SNS Group
2. Adam Forrester
The young right-back acquitted himself reasonably well, particularly in an attacking sense, but was caught out of position for the Heidenheim opener. Came off for Daniel Oyegoke later in the match. 7 | SNS Group
3. Frankie Kent
The centre-half will rue not putting his team ahead with a close-range header early on. Bullied Maximilian Breunig in the first half but was beaten too easily by Jan Schoppner in the jump for Heidenheim's second goal. 6 | SNS Group
4. Stephen Kingsley
Picked ahead of Kye Rowles at centre-half, the experienced defender was pretty sound throughout. 6 | SNS Group