Hearts put in a spirited performance against Trabzonspor but fell to a 2-0 UEFA Conference League defeat in Turkey.
A first-half Mo Salah penalty and Franculino’s stylish finish in the second period saw off the injury-ravaged, who lost the services of Harry Milne before the game and Christian Borchgrevink during it.
Head Coach Wouter Vrancken made four changes from the side that lost to Celtic at the weekend. In came Christian Borchgrevink, James Wilson, Tomas Magnusson and Rogers Mato with Stephen Kingsley, Josh McPake and Laurent Mendy moving to the bench while Oisin McEntee missed out through injury.
Andrew Onana was the first of the goalkeepers to see action when Borchgrevink’s overhit cross threatened to sneak in under the crossbar but the goalkeeper tipped it over.
From Calvin Miller’s resultant corner, Malachi Fagan-Walcott rose highest to bullet a header back of the post and Jamie McCart could only hook the rebound wide.
Moments later, Miller swung a free kick into the box for Claudio Braga to meet but his header flew straight at Onana.
Despite a fantastic first half hour, the Jambos were dealt a cruel blow when Magnusson tripped Franculino inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Salah stepped up and sent his spot kick straight down the middle to give the hosts the lead.
Beau Reus had to be alert to push away an effort from Benjamin Bouchouari in first-half stoppage time, but not before Hearts had a strong penalty appeal turned down when Braga appeared to be bundled from behind inside the Trabzonspor box.
Not long after the restart, Batista Mendy hooked a long-range shot over the bar before Sidny Lopes Cabral did similar but from even further out.
The hosts did double their lead just before the hour mark, with Franculino playing a one-two with Salah inside the box before bending a left-foot effort beyond Reus.
Hearts kept going, and Mato tried his luck from distance following a period of possession but he failed to find the target.
Cabral saw red for the hosts late on after a second yellow in what was a performance full of guts from Vrancken’s side, who now turn attentions to Motherwell on Sunday.
Trabzonspor: Onana, Mendy (Fabinho, 87’), Akaydin, Bouchouari (Pina, 70’), Franculino, Salah © (Tufan, 71’), Folcarelli (Simsir, 71’), Ozkacar, Cabral, Kabasakal, Saviolo (Akcay, 87’).
Subs: Yildrim, Colak, Muçi, Nwaiu, Akçay, Ertem, Yilmaz
Hearts: Reus, Borchgrevink (Kingsley, 44’), McCart ©, Mille (Kerjota, 74’)r, Braga (Kabore, 92’), Guendouz (McPake, 74’), Wilson (Williams, 74’), Magnusson, Altena, Fagan-Walcott, Mato
Subs: Clark, Fulton, Pollock, Stevenson, Mendy
