How Hearts missed the chance to secure Euro knockout progress

The home side were the better side in the first half but couldn't take advantage of their dominance and the chances they created. They were punished in the second half through goals from Sirlord Conteh and a late second from Jan Schoppner.

It leaves the team on six points after three games with Cercle Brugge up next at the end of the month.

Joel Sked looks back on the action from Tynecastle Park.

An opportunity missed but there will be more

This felt like one of those evenings where there was an opportunity to achieve something special. To produce a memorable Tynecastle Park European evening. Especially the way the team started and how distinctly mediocre they made Heidenheim look in the opening period. Hearts, however, fell out of proceedings after the interval and after going behind couldn't find the intensity of the first half and put the visitors under a sustained period of pressure. A draw or win would have all but secured passage into the knockout stage. With the wins in the first two games, there are still three more opportunities to come, starting in Belgium at the end of November. What Hearts would be keen to avoid is a big pressure night ahead of Christmas where they need a draw or win over Petrocub to secure passage. Onto the next one.

First-half is Hearts

Hearts are a better team to watch when they are not dominating the ball. The first half against Heidenheim was a case in point. The team saw just 40 per cent of the ball but when they did get it they played with a purpose. The ball was zipped around, moved with speed, and an intent to attack directly. If there was a chance to put the ball in the box it was taken. An Alan Forrest cross from the right showed what can happen when it does, it was cleared as far as James Penrice who would ultimately shoot wide. It's the type of football that the Tynecastle Park crowd responds positively to. That could be heard on Thursday evening. It sounded and felt like a big European night should. The players must give the fans hope and belief, excitement even, and they did that.  Forrest and Adam Forrester were direct. Penrice never stopped bombing up and down the left flank. Blair Spittal tried to be incisive with his passing when he could. Importantly, out of possession, the crowd did grow impatient even if the Germans had longer spells with the ball. They understood the team were in a shape that was hard to break down and when the opportunity presented itself they would pounce and look hassle, harry, and haunt the Heidenheim players.

Painful lesson

After such an encouraging first half the second half was anti-climactic. In fact, it was nothing more than disappointing. The home side should have been in a similar position to the one they were in against Omonia Nicosia. That evening against the Cypriots, they had done the job in the first half and the second 45 was about being solid and professional. About getting the job done. Hearts had done everything but score in the first half. They had to come out and continue that momentum. Of course, football isn't as simple as that. The vibrancy of the first half couldn't be replicated. And Heidenheim punished Hearts for their profligacy. Their threat is from the wide areas. They punished a moment of poor decision making and then would add a second later on from another wide cross, this time a set piece. It demonstrates the need to make the most of being on top, of taking chances and making the opposition pay, rather than waiting around to find out what the opposition can do when they grow into the game. Especially against a side who have scored seven of their 12 goals in the Bundesliga in the final 30 minutes of matches.

Forrester role

Neil Critchley continued his penchant for rotation his right-backs. Daniel Oyegoke made way for Adam Forrester, making his third European start, one more than in the Premiership so far. He didn't let his manager down. In fact, he excelled with perhaps his finest display yet. It would have been easy for Critchley to continue with Oyegoke, especially with what was asked of Forrester. The 19-year-old didn't play an orthodox full-back role, instead a hybrid role where he was as much a third centre-back as he was a right-back. It provided some added protection in the backline, perhaps wary of the counterattack potential of the opposition. It wasn't too dissimilar to the set-up against Omonia. Forrester took to the role well, dovetailing nicely with Alan Forrest who was ahead of him as a wing-back. The latter was given space to run at the opposing full-back with his team mate a supporting role behind him. Defensively he was robust, snapping into challenges being aggressive, and sticking to his task well. Unfortunately, the teenager was probably guilty of being too eager for Heidenhim's goal, being drawn to the ball, too keen to win it. It meant when they attacked he was just a yard off Mathias Honsak when he sped down the left and delivered a fine cross to the back post where Sirlord Conteh had made a central run, getting goal side of James Penrice.

Shot to sum up Shankland's situation

If there was a moment that summed up Lawrence Shankland's recent frustrations in front of goal it arrived in the third minute. Brilliant work from James Penrice to pick the pocket of Lennard Maloney saw the ball fall for the striker on the edge of the box, central and with no one in front of him. With an opponent closing down from behind it was a wise decision to take the shot first time. He didn't get the connection or direction on the shot, shooting straight at goalkeeper Kevin Muller. The chance was given an xG of 0.21. However, when it left his boot it fell to 0.12. Trying not to get too geeky or boring it illustrates the complete contrast to last season where Shankland would make more of chances that were deemed tricky or difficult. It follows on from the league where he has scored fewer than is expected. It is the situation he is currently in. A difficult period that all strikers have to work through at times. Unfortunately for Shankland, there is no one else to carry that responsibility as the club's No.9. His performance as a whole was tireless and he got into the areas you want him to be, as he did in the 82nd minute for James Penrice's cross, but once more it didn't come off. Nothing really came off. Another one of those nights.

Pre-game preparation

In the grand scheme of the night it is small change but something that has become a common feature before matches is the work that goes on in the warm-up. After the starting XI have been put through their paces in passing drills they split into two. The midfielders and attackers go with assistant Mike Garrity and the defenders with Liam Fox. The defence work as a unit, both dealing with balls on the ground and in the air. If one goes to head the others take a position behind, as a unit, as they would in the game. The midfield and attack pop it around, using Beni Baningime and Malachi Boateng as a platform, and linking off of Shankland. It might be worked to Blair Spittal who would slide it to Alan Forrest for a shot. Another time it will be Shankland who spins and shoots. Again, small change, but an interesting one at that.