Hearts set up a clash with AEK Athens in the final qualifying round of the Champions League with a disciplined display in Bosnia. Protecting a three-goal lead from the first leg, Hearts rarely looked in trouble and moved through comfortably. The Edinburgh side started well and Siroki goalkeeper Vladimir Vasilj failed to hold a free-kick from Roman Bednar but recovered in time to prevent Christophe Berra from pouncing on the rebound. Vasilj had a lucky escape when he palmed a Neil McCann corner into his own net but the Hungarian referee spotted a Hearts player pushing in the penalty area and disallowed the "goal". Siroki finally threatened after 16 minutes when Mislav Karoglen brought the save of the match from Craig Gordon with a left-foot shot from 25 yards which swerved wickedly. Gordon excelled again midway through the first half after a well-worked free-kick with Karoglen again having the final shot.
Karoglen was proving the main dangerman but Hearts were well organised at the back and Siroki's best efforts were from distance. A minute from the break, Gomes completely missed the ball ten yards out after a fluent move and when the ball broke to Josip Papic, he sent his 18-yard shot well over the top. Hearts had another escape early in the second half when Wagner cut the ball back to Celson but his shot was brilliantly blocked by Gordon. Hearts responded and McCann was not far away from connecting with a fiercely-struck Bednar cross at the back post. Siroki substitute Hrvoje Erceg then brought another fine save from Gordon with a left-foot shot which was bound for the bottom corner of his net as Hearts held on for the aggregate win.
Siroki Brijeg: Vasilj, Anic, Silic, Wagner, Papic (Studenovic 88), Pandza, Ivica Landeka, Gomes, Kovacic (Erceg 69), Karoglan, Celson (Carvalho 76)
Subs Not Used: Basic, Doci, Dalibor Kozul, Kvesic
Booked: Silic, Pandza, Anic
Hearts: Gordon, Neilson (Tall 60), Fyssas, Pressley, McCann (Mikoliunas 61), Aguiar, Pospisil, Bednar, Cesnauskis (Beslija 85), Berra, Brellier
Subs Not Used: Banks, Makela, Wallace, Mole
Booked: Bednar, Mikoliunas
Agg: (0-3)
Att: 6,000
Ref: Viktor Kassai (Hungary) | 