Neil Critchley's direct comments on Copenhagen's disputed penalty, Frankie Kent's injury and Hearts qualifying

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley insisted FC Copenhagen’s late penalty was the wrong decision as he criticised Italian referee Andrea Colombo after defeat in Denmark. The manager was unhappy that Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon was penalised for a foul after the Copenhagen striker Amin Chiakha collided with him late in the UEFA Conference League tie.

That allowed Kevin Diks to score from the spot, completing a 2-0 win for the Danish side after Chiakha’s opening goal. The Parken Stadium roared loudly in approval after a comfortable victory for the hosts but Hearts exited the ground far from happy.

“We played against a very good team, I think that was obvious, the evidence was on the pitch for us to see that,” said Critchley. “They were a better team, they deserved to win. You plan to have a go but then their technical quality can sometimes limit how you can get after the ball and press and when you do that they play through you or play beyond you, it's very difficult.

“Having said that, they obviously hit the bar in the first half. There weren't loads of chances, they had a lot of the ball but they weren't getting to the goal on too many occasions. We were wasteful with the ball and at 1-0 we're in the game. But a really poor decision has taken our chance of having a right go near the end of the game, which is what I'd spoken about at half-time.

READ MORE: Report and player ratings from FC Copenhagen 2-0 Hearts

“We had a plan and we're on the cusp of doing that, changing and going for the game because you might as well go for it 1-0 - press and really go after them. A really poor decision has taken that opportunity away from us. He [Chiakha] gets there first and he kicks the ball onto Craig's arm, you can see it deflects off his arm and then there's a collision, there's always going to be a collision because he's flying for the ball and Craig's coming out.

“It's just a natural coming together of players, it's not like he's touched it past him and Craig's come down and caught him. It's never a penalty, I think it's a bad decision, a really bad decision.”

The referee visited a touchline monitor after VAR reviewed the incident and only then did he award the penalty to Copenhagen. Initially, he did not blow for a foul. “Yeah, you pause it and he gets first contact, but then if you pause it the next frame it comes off Craig's arm. When you slow things down and you pause it then it looks different. I thought it was a really bad decision, how that's gone to the VAR and given a penalty I don't really know, honestly.”

This defeat saw Hearts drop out of the top 20 in the 36-team Conference League table. To reach the knockout round play-off, they must finish inside the top 24. So they will likely need at least one point, possibly three, in their final tie league-stage tie at home to Petrocub of Moldova next Thursday.

“I don't know because I've not seen the table yet but I'd imagine we'd have to win next week [against Petrocub],” said Critchley. “We're in there, we're still in shape, we're in with a fight and sometimes it's how you feel. Obviously we've won the first two games and we've lost the last three so you can have that psychological effect on the group. But if we'd have lost the first three and won the next two we'd be feeling better about ourselves.

“We're still in there, we've got six points and if we get to nine then I think we qualify. We have to use that, we have to use the power and the energy of Tynecastle next Thursday to our advantage and that will be our plan. We can't dwell on this game, we've got an important league game on Sunday and then next Thursday when we're at home we have to make sure that we take care of business.”

Hearts lost Frankie Kent to a recurring quad muscle problem in the first half. Fellow centre-back Craig Halkett missed the game through a niggling problem and Stephen Kingsley is out long-term. Right-back Daniel Oyegoke moved inside to partner Kye Rowles in central defence for the remainder of the Copenhagen match, with 19-year-old Adam Forrester on as substitute right-back.

“Frankie's obviously come off which is very unfortunate,” said Critchley. “That's a big disappointment from the night. It looks like the same injury, yeah, quad. Halks was missing tonight, he trained yesterday, he was in a bit of discomfort, we were hoping it was going to be better overnight but it didn't really improve, he was having treatment on it today so unfortunately he wasn't able to go on the bench. We're a little bit stretched in that area of the pitch at the moment.

“Daniel did well and I thought he did that against Aberdeen very well as well. You look at Adam and where he's come from and Dan. Kye and Penners [James Penrice] have been excellent this season, so I thought they equipped themselves well. to be fair.

“I know Dan has played centre-half before, I know he's played right of a three and I know he's played centre-back. He's got the physicality for it, he's got the speed and the athleticism to deal with big, powerful or quick centre-forwards. It's just about him learning the position and learning the game. But yeah, I have to say that from when I first came to the club and where he is now, I think he's taken strides in the right direction.”