Hearts report and player ratings v Cercle Brugge: Fans chant at Shankland, penalty miss, Euro opportunity

Chocolate stores dominate the historic buildings throughout the picturesque city of Bruges, but Hearts left the Belgian city with a bitter taste rather than sweet following a narrow loss to Cercle Brugge. This UEFA Conference League tie was an opportunity for the Edinburgh club to effectively guarantee a place in the knockout play-off round had they managed to win. As it was, goals from Malamine Efekele and Gary Magnée proved the difference.

Lawrence Shankland’s late penalty miss compounded the misery for the Tynecastle side, who would have taken a point given they were 1-0 down at that stage. The captain sent the ball over the Cercle crossbar and looked utterly distraught afterwards. Neither team put in a vintage performance but Hearts had chances to at least take a draw home to Scotland and will only lament not doing so. Cercle were simply more clinical in front of goal.

Towards the end of the game, a minority of Hearts fans aimed a chant of “Shankland, Shankland, get to F***” at the captain. He has scored just one goal this season to date and looks to be lacking confidence. It was a frustrating night for all concerned with the Jambos. Some within the travelling support vented more anger at their team after the final whistle as players stood on the pitch looking up in dismay. It had been a memorable day which turned in to a forgettable night.

After taking over the historic Grote Markt Square in the city centre, Hearts fans continued partying inside the Jan Breydel Stadium after complimentary coaches ferried them out to the ground shared by Cercle and Club Brugge. The Edinburgh club sold 3,124 tickets and supporters began arriving in the away end more than 90 mintues before kick-off. With drums beating and lungs at full capacity, they belted out their full repertoire of tunes. That included a newly-formed chorus of “Super Neil Critchley” in tribute to the head coach.

Cercle were without top scoring Kevin Denkey and a host of other first-team players through injury. Christiaan Ravych proved his fitness to take up position in the centre of their three-man defence. A 3-4-1-2 formation was as expected from the Belgians, with Hearts in a 4-2-3-1 shape. Japanese winger Yutaro Oda was ill and could not make the substitutes’ bench after recently recovering from injury. Beni Baningime and Blair Spittal were replaced in the starting line-up by Yan Dhanda and Kenneth Vargas following Hearts’ loss to Celtic on Saturday.

READ MORE: Neil Critchley comments on Hearts fans’ chants at Lawrence Shankland as he reacts to Cercle loss

Cercle started with energy and aggression in front of a home support which barely outnumbered the travelling fans. Shankland produced the game’s first meaningful effort at goal on nine minutes, which the Cercle goalkeeper Maxime Delanghe held. The hosts’ front three pressed high and forced Hearts to send direct balls forward under pressure. When able to play through the green-and-black shirts, the visitors found plenty grass to exploit on the counter-attack.

Both teams conceded possession repeatedly during the first half, which affected the overall quality. The Brugge midfielder Nils de Wilde forced Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon into his first save of the evening on 28 minutes. He stopped another effort from Paris Brunner moments later. Then the away side created another chance as the match began to open up. Alan Forrest fed Kenneth Vargas, who evaded his marker Senna Miangue and crossed low towards Shankland. His back-heel flick rolled tamely wide of target.

It perhaps summed up the quality on display that the opening goal was a slight miss-hit. Cercle worked the ball across the edge of Hearts’ penalty area well for De Wilde to slip a clever ball right to Efekele. The wing-back’s did not connect cleanly with his first-time left-footed shot, but it bounced past Gordon just inside the near post, giving the hosts a crucial advantage five minutes from the interval.

Hearts appealed loudly for a penalty late in the opening half when Vargas fell after a heavy challenge from Ravych inside the area. Referee Elchin Masiyev from Azerbaijan was unmoved. Critchley would have observed that his team were vulnerable down their right and needed more from both wide players, Dhanda and Forrest. The Cercle captain Thibo Somers headed Magnée’s cross from the left narrowly off target.

Delanghe saved from both Forrest and Vargas in quick succession near the hour mark as Hearts pressed for an equaliser. Vargas should have made more of his opportunity soon after. Penrice’s surging run and cross found the Costa Rican for a touch and tame finish which didn’t faze Delanghe in goal. The away fans weren’t best pleased. By attacking, Critchley’s side left themselves vulnerable defensively, and Gordon’s leg prevented Brunner’s drive making it 2-0.

Another Hearts penalty appeal on 78 minutes was granted. A hoisted ball into Cercle’s box was handled whilst jumping by substitute Edgaras Utkus, and a touchline monitor review by the referee resulted in a spot-kick. Shankland stepped up, but a miserable season continued for the Scotland internationalist as he thumped the ball over the crossbar. Then he had a header from another Penrice delivery which he headed wide.

Brunner - who was probably Cercle’s most effective player - rattled the Hearts crossbar before Magnée killed the game on 90 minutes. De Wilde’s strike following a corner was parried by Gordon and Magnée thumped the rebound home with the aid of a deflection off Daniel Oyegoke.

Here at the Hearts player ratings from Bruges: