Hearts produced a stunning performance in Vienna to knock SK Rapid out of Europe and qualify for the league phase of the UEFA Conference League.
Despite falling behind to a first-half Kara goal, the Jambos bit back through Landry Kabore to take the game to extra time, even though Tomas Magnusson was on the receiving end of a second yellow. Calvin Miller put the boys in maroon ahead in extra time, before Rapid equalised with less than a minute remaining. Beau Reus was the hero in the resultant shootout, saving two penalties to secure a deserved win and a place in the league phase.
Head Coach Wouter Vrancken made one change from the side that drew with the Austrians a week ago in Gorgie with James Wilson coming in for Landry Kabore.
Beau Reus was first into action after seven minutes, making a fine stop from Yusuf Demir’s long-range free-kick, getting down to push the swerving effort away before Jamie McCart cleared.
The big keeper came to rescue again a minute later, turning Tonni Adamsen’s shot behind after the Rapid man had danced his way through the Hearts defence.
The Jambos were dealt a blow after a quarter of an hour when Tom Renaud was forced off on a stretcher, being replaced in the middle by Tomas Magnusson.
With ten minutes of the half remaining, the hosts took the lead. Romeo Amane weaved his way through the Hearts backline begore the ball was played across the middle to the unmarked Kara, who stroked home into an empty net.
Soon after, the boys in maroon created their first real chance of the game when Claudio Braga pounced on a loose ball to drive into the box before pulling the trigger but Niklas Hedl beat the Portuguese’s shot away.
Rapid went straight up the park and created an opportunity of their own, with Demir curling a 25-yard shot narrowly wide of Reus’ right-hand post.
Goalscorer Kara then received the ball at the edge of the box, with his back to goal, and was able to turn but fire straight over the target.
In first-half stoppage time Oisin McEntee bound forward to unleash a piledriver of a shot that Hedl did well to get down to his right to push away.
Hearts started the second half brightly and nearly equalised in spectacular fashion when Blair Spittal hit a first-time volley from 25-yards that swerved the wrong side of Hedl’s right-hand post.
Ten minutes in Spittal played a defence-splitting pass for Wilson to run through onto, and although a Rapid player was able to recover his clearance flew inches past his own post and behind.
From the resulting corner, Magnusson nodded down for Claudio Braga to prod goalwards but Kara was on hand to clear off the line.
The dangerous Demir then slipped Petter Dahl into the box but stretching, he fired high and wide of the target.
The Jambos passed up a glorious opportunity to equalise on 75 minutes. Spittal whipped in a free kick to the back door for Magnusson to connect with a diving header but he could only send it wide.
A minute later Magnusson received his marching orders for a second yellow, leaving the boys in maroon with it all to do.
Incredibly, and deservedly, the equaliser came with ten minutes remaining. Substitute Landry Kabore got on the end of a corner to divert the ball into the back of the net with his chest to set up a showstopping finale.
Fellow sub Chirstian Borchgrevink was then the hero, turning Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao’s close-range effort onto the post and wide as the the game headed to extra time.
Kara flashed a header wide early in the first period of extra time as SK Rapid looked to make their numbers advantage count.
A devastating Hearts breakaway saw the Jam Tarts take the lead. Sub Rogers Mato careered down the left before hooking an inch-perfect ball to the back post for Miller to hit a stunning volley into the opposite corner of the net.
It was nearly heartache with a minute of extra time remaining when the hosts equalised to send the match to penalties.
But the Jambos’ fighting spirit prevailed, with Reus stopping two spot kicks to give the Gorgie boys the victory and kick off scenes of pre bedlam in the away end as the whole team and staff celebrated in front of 1,000 travelling fans.
SK Rapid: Hedl, Raux-Yao, Adamsen (Bajlicz, 66’), Kara, Dahl (Wurmbrand, 66’), Seidl (Tilio 102’), Y. Demir, Amane, Horn, Cvetkovic, Bolla (Haidara, 112’).
Subs: Gartler, Orgler, Roka, Gulliksen, Ahoussou, Schaub, Groller, F. Demir.
Hearts: Reus, McCart, McEntee, Miller, Braga (Mendy, 90’), Renaud, McPake (Kerjota, 74’), Spittal (Mato, 90’), Findlay (Borchgrevink, 45’), Wilson (Kabore, 74’), Altena.
Subs: Fulton, Wright, Guendouz, Magnusson, Kamson-Kamara, Ba-Sy.
