Hearts beat Rapid Vienna on penalties to reach Conference League
Hearts secured a Conference League league phase spot after beating Rapid Vienna 4-3 on penalties under manager Wouter Vrancken.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Hearts beat Rapid Vienna 4-3 on penalties to reach the Conference League league phase
- Manager Wouter Vrancken guided the team through a sticky start to the season
- The dramatic playoff featured a red card and a late 119th-minute equalizer
- The club plans further squad reinforcements ahead of the transfer window close
If May 16 marked the day a historic title dream ended after a final-day defeat that denied Hearts a first Scottish top-flight championship in 66 years, August 26 may well represent the start of a new chapter. Just three months later, the Scottish side secured tangible reward and progression with immense courage and togetherness.
Thursday's dramatic penalty shootout victory over Rapid Vienna at the Allianz Stadion sealed a coveted place in the Conference League league phase draw, guaranteeing at least six European fixtures across October, November, and December. Despite a rocky start to the 2026-27 campaign under new Belgian head coach Wouter Vrancken—following early European exits to Sturm Graz and Benfica and a domestic loss to Celtic—the team has begun to reap the rewards of the coach's calm leadership.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The second leg proved to be an uphill battle after Ercan Kara gave Rapid Vienna a 1-0 lead on the night. Hearts' task grew even harder when Tomas Magnusson received a red card, but Pierre Landry Kabore leveled the aggregate score to force extra time. Calvin Miller nearly won the tie for the visitors before Nenad Cvetkovic struck in the 119th minute to make it 2-2 on the night, sending the match to penalties.
"The development of the team, the progress of the team is amazing. The team spirit, I saw it from the first session already."
In the shootout, goalkeeper Beau Reus immediately saved Moulaye Haidara's opening spot-kick. Although Oisin McEntee saw his penalty blocked, former Celtic winger Marco Tilio converted, and Reus made another crucial stop to secure a 4-3 victory for the visitors.
Reaching the league phase of a major European competition provides crucial financial inflows through broadcast revenues and matchday receipts, giving clubs outside the traditional continental heavyweights the financial flexibility needed for sustained competitiveness.
Manager Vrancken expressed immense pride in his players' resilience after the match, praising their ability to maintain focus after conceding a late equalizer in extra time and prevailing under intense pressure.
Looking ahead, former Hearts players Ryan Stevenson and Allan Preston noted that the club will likely need to dip back into the transfer market before it closes, especially given potential midfield concerns following an early first-half injury to Tom Renaud and a summer that has already seen 12 arrivals and numerous departures.
Source: BBC Sport
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment