17th August 2023. Hearts 3 Rosenborg 1

 

Really looking forward to tonight’s Europa League qualifier. After a 2-1 defeat in Rosenborg last week a 1-0 vicirty would mean extra time and then penalties. However a two goal margin would mean Hearts qualifying for the next round. I left home around 18.45 and walked down to Tynecastle. I scanned my ticket and headed into thr ground. I thought about gettinhg some food but decided to head to my seat to watch the teams warm up.

Hearts made a number of changes from the Kilmarnock game on Saturday. Aiden Denholm replaced the injured Peter Haring in midfield while Liam Boyce and Alex Cochrane replaced Tagawa and Alan Forrest. It was not the team I would would have chosen, as for Rosenborg I knew nothing about rather club or player,  The club has won a record 26 league titles, a shared record 12 Norwegian Football Cup titles and have played more UEFA matches than any other Norwegian team. RBK play their home games at the all-swatter Lerkendal Stadion which has a capacity of 21421. 

Rosenberg took the lead after four minutes when the referee awarded a dubious free-kick against Frankie Kent out out onn the left wing. The first of several dubious decisions from the Israeli referee.  Adrian Pereria swung the ball into the penalty box and Zander Clark did well to save Ísak Thorvaldsson’s initial header, but when the ball rebounded back to the Rosenborg striker and his low strike found the back of the net despite Clarks brave attempt to pull the ball back before crossing the goal-line Hearts almost levelled minutes later. Lawrence Shankland found space in the box and his  through ball picked out Yutaro Oda, his shot had André Hansen beaten, but the post came to the Norwegian’s rescue.Liam Boyce did make a claim for a handball penalty but the referee ignored his shouts. Hearts equalised in thirteen minutes Stephen Kingsley’spass down the left found Shankland, who had made a very clever early run. Bearing down on Hansen, the Hearts number nine ran on to dink the ball over the stopper as Tynecastle went mad.To be honest I don't think Kingsleys pass was meant for Shankland but it lead to a goal. Hearts almost went ahead after 27 minutes. Shankland took a smart first touch from his man, and his attempted cross for Boyce, was deflected towards goal, but Hansen produced an instinctive save with his feet to keep the scores level.Hearts were enjoying plenty of possession and they created two further openings before half-time. Firstly, Stephen Kingsley made ground down the left and crossed for Kye Rowles, who headed just over. then Cochrane tried his luck from the edge of the box, but Hansen got down well low to his right to keep the scores level at the break.

 

Hearts. Brought on BarrieMcKay for Oda at halftime. McKay has been injured and this was his first appearance of the season but he looked to be back almost at his best.  Hearts survived an early scare at the start of the half when an attempted clearance caused panic in the Hearts box before Nat Atkinson was on hand to clear the ball off the line. Five minutes into the half McKay towards Boyce in the penalty box. The striker took two Rosenborg defenders out the game by slipping inside, before unleashing a powerful strike which was kept out by Hansen, but charging in on the rebound was Cammy Devlin who side-footed the ball high into the roof of the net to level the aggregate scores.The game continued to be played at ay fast pace, but there weren’t many clear-cut chances at either end following Devlin’s goal, as the final ball began to evade both teams in the closing stages. Just as it was looking like extra-time would be required, Devlin to won it two minutes into stoppage time. Receiving the ball on the edge of the box, he had a shot  and his effort took a huge deflection, completely wrong-footing Hansen as the roof came off Tynecastle. The final whistle went five minutes later and Tynecastle erupted as the Hearts players celebrated on the pitch. 

I walked home after the match smiling after the best European tie I have seen at Tyncastle since Bayern Munich were beaten in the 908's. Cannot wait for next weeks tie against Greek side POAK, now managed by former Hearts defender Kristos Karapidis. Onwards and Upwards for the Jambos !

 

Teams

Hearts: Clark, Kent, Kingsley, Shankland, Boyce, Oda, Atkinson, Devlin, Rowles, Cochrane , Denholm.

Subs: Halliday, Forrest, McKay, Sibbick,. Tagawa.

 

Rosenborg: Hansen, Reitan, Børkeeiet, Holse, Frederiksen, Thorvaldsson, Pereira, Skarsem, Jenssen, Andersson, Nypan

Subs: Røsten, Wiedesheim-Paul, Cornic, Holte