Hearts crash out of Europe after drawing with Moldovan minnows Petrocub
A win over a Petrocub side who had taken just one point from their previous five matches would have been enough for Neil Critchley’s side to progress.
Hearts supporters vented their fury at players, management and board members after a 2-2 home draw with Moldovan minnows Petrocub cost them the chance to progress to the Conference League knockout phase play-off round.
On the occasion of their 100th European fixture, the Edinburgh club had high hopes of making it past Christmas in continental competition for the first time in 36 years.
A win over a Petrocub side who had taken just one point from their previous five matches in the tournament would have been enough to keep Neil Critchley’s side in the top 24 and take them into Friday’s play-off draw.
But after fighting back from 1-0 down at half-time to lead 2-1 through goals from teenager James Wilson and substitute Blair Spittal, an 83rd-minute penalty equaliser from Victor Mudrac meant the Jambos ended up failing to make it through the group stage despite winning their first two matches.
It represented another disastrous night in a season where they find themselves bottom of the William Hill Premiership.
Having been left “shocked and stunned” by his side’s limp 1-0 defeat against 10-man Kilmarnock on Sunday, Critchley made four changes to his starting line-up, with Malachi Boateng, Spittal, Kenneth Vargas and Musa Drammeh replaced by Lawrence Shankland, Yan Dhanda and teenage pair Macaulay Tait and Wilson.
Petrocub arrived in Edinburgh already having been eliminated from the competition but the fact they had lost only 1-0 to Spanish side Real Betis a week earlier meant there was a sense of trepidation among a Hearts support who had seen their team win only one of their previous eight matches in all competitions.
Kye Rowles blew a great chance for the Jambos in the 20th minute when he headed wide from a Dhanda corner, and it proved a damaging miss as the visitors swiftly ventured up the park and opened the scoring when captain Vladimir Ambros crossed and Sergiu Platica drifted away at the back post completely unmarked and slotted beyond Craig Gordon from six yards out.
The concession of the goal sparked outrage among an exasperated home support, who spent the remainder of a frustrating first half – in which the visitors had two excellent chances to extend their lead – berating their players and singing songs calling for the board to be sacked.
Hearts managed to regain a degree of composure at the start of the second half and they got themselves level in the 64th minute when Shankland’s shot broke into the path of Wilson, who drilled home from 10 yards out.
The Tynecastle side looked to be back on course for the knockout phase play-off round when Spittal headed them in front in the 70th minute after Dhanda’s cross cross from the right was headed out by Ion Bors.
But Petrocub were given the chance to level when Penrice was penalised for handball while making a block on the goal-line, and Mudrac made no mistake with the penalty. Hearts were unable to regain the lead and they ultimately missed out on finishing in the top 24 on goals scored, with Serbian side TSC pipping them to 24th place.
