Slask Wroclaw 1-0 Hearts
From Hearts News at the Rudolf Kalweit Stadion

Hearts went down to the narrowest of defeats at the hands of Slask here in Germany, tonight.

The Tynecastle side started their second game in two days against Polish top league side Slask Warclow with a youthful team captained by Michael Stewart.

It was clear that Slask were treating this game seriously with some hefty challenges in the opening exchanges.

Jason Thomson and Suso linked well down the right for Hearts and Ryan McGowan looked assured in the rain soaked early exchanges. An innocent challenge by the central defender led to an injury to Sotirovic but the Pole limped on.

It was 15 minutes before Marek Gancarczyk struck the first shot of the game. Having been allowed to run fully 30 yards his shot blasted over. Hearts were keen to push their opponents at every opportunity and again Suso showed flashes of the invention that attracted Csaba Laszlo to the Spaniard.

Five minutes later the Poles had a penalty claim when Thomson challenged Janusz Gancarczyk but the ref was not impressed. Then again the Hearts goal was under threat a minute later after Marek Gancarczyk rose unchallenged in the box to head wide of Balogh's goal.

Obua then showed neat interplay with Wallace to strike a shot from the left but it rebounded off the Ugandan from a defensive challenge for a goal kick. Wallace then again proved provider with a delightful cross which was just too high for the ambitious Elliot.

After 35 minutes Klofik then floated a free kick wide of Balogh's goal after being hauled to the ground by Suso.

Wallace was every bit the equal of a very physical Slask side and twice showed who was boss of the left side with hardfought challenges. Szewczyk replaced the injured Sotirovic. Thomson then caught a Slask forward on the edge of the box and the resultant free-kick was only narrowly wide.

Jamie MacDonald, Adrian Mrowiec, David Witteveen, Ruben Palazuelos, Craig Thomson and Arvydas Novikovas took their place in Hearts second half line up.

Dudek took the first chance on goal but his 18 yard shot glanced wide on the left hand post.

Stewart was booked after five minutes of the second half for a sliding tackle on Wellington and it was only a minute later before the midfielder made way for Mrowiec.  Wallace took over the captaincy.

McGowan was sharp to cut out the threat of the advancing Slask on two occasions just minutes later, first on the right and then on the left. The young Australian showed he has good spacial awareness as well as the physique to compete at this level.

MacDonald then gathered  well when a Tyminski shot spun off Wallace. Novikovas was then unlucky not to gather a ball at the other end onthe edge of the box.

A breakthrough didn't look likely and Szewczuk took a hopeful lunge in the box after the faintest of touches from Goncalves. The ref wasn't fooled.

The red booted Luksa came on for Suso and he was quickly into the action interchanging well with Witteveen but the ball just ran beyond him. Cinikas then came on for the hard working Elliot but seconds later Hearts were one down. A stumble by Mrowiec set up Szewczuk and the striker made no mistake shooting low past MacDonald.

A good cross from Novikovas then glided past a huddle of Hearts players in the box when a touch would have undoubtedly equalised for the Jambos. Thomson then broke well down the right but his cross was just long for the advancing Witteveen.

MacDonald then gathered well, despite the greasy conditions and fading light, after a ferocious free kick from the left.

In the dying minutes Witteveen just failed to rise for an equalising header after good work by Wallace to set Novikovas up with a crossing opportunity. And a last minute save by MacDoanld saved Hearts suffering a further setback.

Slask Wroclaw: Kaczmarek; Socha, Celeban, Spahic, Pawelec, Gancarczyk, Lukasiewicz, Ulatowski, Gancarczyk, Klofik, Sotirovic. Subs all used: Vazgec; Kasnikowski, Vascek, Tyminski, Ady, Dudek, Wellington. 

Hearts: Balogh (MacDonald, 46); J Thomson (C Thomson, 46), McGowan, Goncalves, Wallace; Suso (Luksa, 66), Black (Palazuelos, 46), Stewart (Mrowiec, 52), Obua (Novikovas, 46); Glen (Witteveen, 46), Elliot (Cinikas, 69). Booked: Stewart.  

Referee: Robert Schroder

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