Hearts -3 Fiorentina: Scots endure a blow to Europa Meeting League knockout qualification hopes with a weighty defeat – as Lewis Neilson crimson compounds woes
Hearts have been outclassed by Fiorentina in the Europa Convention LeagueRolando Mandragora and Christian Kouame gave Fiorentina a 2- 50 percent-time leadTeenage defender Lewis Neilson was despatched off following the interval for a last-guy foulLuka Jovic done the scoreline for site visitors with minutes still left at Tynecastle
Hearts’ hopes of progressing in the Europa Meeting League experienced a harming blow on Thursday as they have been outclassed by Fiorentina at Tynecastle.
The cinch Premiership aspect trailed 2- at the crack and then had teenager Lewis Neilson sent off early in the second 50 percent as they crashed to a chastening 3- reduction in a one-sided come upon.
The end result observed Fiorentina leapfrog Hearts to shift into next place in Team A. The Edinburgh outfit vacation to Florence for the rematch upcoming week figuring out they will just about unquestionably have to stay clear of defeat to have any chance of qualifying for the knockout stage.
Lewis Neilson (appropriate) was offered his marching orders as Hearts ended up crushed 3- by Fiorentina
Referee Erik Lambrecht displays a red card to Neilson following his past-guy foul on Luka Jovic
Rolando Mandragora (remaining) watches on as his header presents Fiorentina the guide at Tynecastle
Hearts made 3 variations to the side that commenced previous weekend’s 4- defeat at home to Rangers as Cammy Devlin, Alan Forrest and Stephen Humphrys dropped out to be changed by Andy Halliday, Josh Ginnelly and Jorge Grant.
Fiorentina arrived in Edinburgh with only a person acquire in their preceding 10 matches in all competitions and sat base of the Conference League team with just a person stage to their identify.
Their below-strain manager Vincenzo Italiano sent out a strong group, with former Actual Madrid striker Luka Jovic again in the staff soon after becoming left out for Sunday’s Serie A defeat at Atalanta.
Tynecastle was rocking as the groups emerged but the hosts bought off to the worst attainable start out when Fiorentina took the guide with their first assault of the sport in the fourth minute as the unmarked Rolando Mandragora headed household Aleksa Terzic’s cross from the right.
Hearts tried using to come across a reaction in the eighth moment but Michael Smith nodded straight into the arms of goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini right after conference Halliday’s supply from the still left.
La Viola went near to doubling their guide in the 13th moment when Jovic run a totally free header in excess of the bar after connecting with a corner from Cristiano Biraghi.
Christian Kouame (left) wheels absent in celebration following doubling the visitors’ lead
Hearts had been battling to get any sort of foothold in the game and goalkeeper Craig Gordon had to pull off an spectacular help save in the 21st moment when he dived to his remaining to tip guiding a 25-lawn thunderbolt from Fiorentina centre-back again Igor.
Just as the hosts appeared like they could possibly be weathering the storm, even so, they conceded a next purpose two minutes right before the split when Christian Kouame pounced to smash house a free ball from eight yards out soon after Hearts unsuccessful to crystal clear a ball into the box from the still left.
The Jambos just about pulled a single back correct on 50 percent-time but Ginnelly was denied by Gollini immediately after finding himself free on the angle of the 6-property box.
Immediately after a promising commence to the second 50 %, Hearts’ hopes of fighting again effectively evaporated when teenage centre-back again Neilson was demonstrated a straight red card for a very last-person foul on Jovic in the 49th moment.
As Hearts chased an unlikely route back into the sport, Jovic sealed Fiorentina’s victory in the 78th moment when he finished off a counter-attack from shut selection.
Jovic sealed the Viola’s victory with a counter-attacking complete late on in Edinburgh