Hearts advance to Conference League league phase after shootout win
After a difficult start to the season, Hearts secured their place in the Conference League league phase by defeating Rapid Vienna on penalties.
SNS
Hearts have secured their place in the Conference League league phase after a dramatic victory over Rapid Vienna in the play-off round. The Scottish side overcame a 1-0 deficit on the night and a red card for Tomas Magnusson to force the tie to extra time and eventually a penalty shootout.
After a tense 120 minutes that saw Pierre Landry Kabore score for Hearts and Nenad Cvetkovic net a late equaliser for the hosts, the match went to penalties. Hearts goalkeeper Beau Reus proved to be the hero, making crucial saves to secure a 4-3 win in the shootout and book a spot in the European autumn.
Manager Wouter Vrancken expressed immense pride in his squad's turnaround following a challenging start to the 2026-27 campaign. "The progress of the team is amazing," Vrancken said. "They want to learn, they want to go into it, and the kind of football we played—this is the result. They get rewarded."
We made agreements, we had a game plan and we didn't follow up in the first half. But we took the game in our hands in the second half. This is already a mental strength, coming back from 1-0 down. Wouter Vrancken
With at least six European fixtures confirmed for the coming months, the club is now considering its options in the final days of the transfer window. The injury to midfielder Tom Renaud, which Vrancken described as a significant disappointment, may force the club to accelerate recruitment plans to ensure the squad is prepared for a heavy schedule.