With the Swiss Alps towering in the background, Hearts’ Conference League task became mountainous following this defeat by FC Thun. Their heavily depleted side suffered a fifth loss of the season in European competition and now face a steep uphill course if they are to reach this tournament’s knockout phase.
Jamie McCart’s own goal and Brighton Labeau’s instinctive strike put Thun 2-0 ahead at half-time, and Furkan Dursun added a third in the second period. Stuart Findlay’s late header ensured a final scoreline of 3-1. Hearts contributed to their own downfall, struggling to defend against the hosts’ physicality. They looked capable of troubling the home side, however Thun repeatedly fired balls forward to strikers Labeau and Dursun - who hustled the visiting defence all night with their dominant physicality. It all left the Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken exasperated in the technical area.
Another injury - this time vice-captain Stephen Kingsley - compounded the misery. He was forced off as 19-year-old Matthew Gillies came on for his Hearts debut. It was a night when little went right for the Edinburgh club. Their Conference League chances are now hanging by a thread after taking just one point from the first three ties. Realistically, they need at least two wins from the remaining three fixtures - at home against Monaco and Borac, plus a trip to Pafos - to progress.
Around 2,500 Hearts fans filled numerous buses from Thun’s Berntorplatz out to the city’s outskirts in the hope that their team could pull off a result against the reigning Swiss champions. The chilly evening air against a beautiful Alpine backdrop was extremely pleasant on the eye. What the visitors from Scotland wanted for their team to become the talk of the Thun. It was a tall order with 10 first-team players injured.
The lack of alternatives prompted Vrancken to deploy left-back Kingsley at right-back on a very firm astroturf surface. It was always a risk with a defender prone to muscle issues. Findlay also returned in a makeshift visiting defence. Three teenagers were on a substitutes’ bench Vrancken could not fill due to lack of bodies. Two of Hearts’ subs were goalkeepers Ryan Fulton and Zander Clark.
A minutes silence preceded kick-off following the tragic death of Tenerife player Jesus de Miguel Alameda. The game started and then quickly stopped to let smoke clear from the local ultras’ pyrotechnics. That took fully eight minutes. Hearts were first to properly threaten when Josh McPake lashed a 20-yard shot which Thun goalkeeper Niklas Steffen beat away.
The home side were a handful with long balls forward. Vrancken and his players knew that was the gameplan. They didn’t combat it, though. Not for the first time this season, a mistake resulted in Hearts falling behind. On 22 minutes, Thun captain Marco Burki’s clearance was flicked on by Dursun and the ball bounced across the penalty area towards the back post. McCart arrived under pressure from Lucien Dahler and failed to adjust his feet when the opponent nudged him. The defender’s right-foot inadvertently knocked the ball into the net for an own goal.
Another defensive lapse occurred 11 minutes later as Thun seized a 2-0 advantage. They broke swiftly from a Hearts free-kick at the opposite end of the field with the visitors looking dreadfully exposed. Nico Maier fed the pacy Nils Reichmuth in a two-versus-two situation, and Reichmuth sprinted forward for a low cross. That was partially cleared by Kingsley’s weaker right foot, and the ball landed kindly for Labeau to tap home a strightforward finish past the helpless goalkeeper Beau Reus from around eight yards.
Two experienced left-footed defenders trying to defend with their right feet had cost Hearts. Thun by now knew that speedy counter-attacks and quick balls forward were the key to success. That ploy continued after the interval, Dursun forcing Reus to dive to his right to prevent a third on 49 minutes. Landry Kabore came on as substitute and instantly fell under Labeau’s challenge inside the hosts’ penalty box. Play continued, however, and Reichmuth forced another diving save from Reus moments later.
After the resultant corner, Reichmuth crossed for Dursun to prod home a proper striker’s finish at the near post. That killed the game completely. Labeau’s through ball sent Maier sprinting through with the Hearts back line wide open yet again. He clipped his finish over the advancing Reus but wide of the post as a fourth goal looked certain.
The Tynecastle injury curse struck again when Kingsley pulled up with a suspected hamstring injury and Gillies came on for his Hearts debut. He lined up in midfield with Jordi Altena moved to right-back. Malachi Fagan-Walcott’s header forced Steffen into a superb low save, and an offside flag denied Thun a fourth before Findlay reduced the deficit. He headed home Jordi Altena’s free-kick to spark some cheer from the away end. It was too little, too late.
Here are the Hearts player ratings from Switzerland:
9. AMC: Sabri Guendouz
5/10 Unable to influence the game. Thun crowded him out frequently before he was taken off. | SNS Group
10. AML: Josh McPake
6/10 His direct running caused Thun right-back Lucien Dahler problems. Hearts' best attacking outlet. | SNS Group
11. ST: Claudio Braga
6/10 Some flashes but played a lot with his back to goal. Moved well to show for the ball regularly.
12. SUB: Landry Kabore (for Guendouz, 53 mins)
5/10 Gave Hearts a more physical presence in attack. Showed energy and desire to impress. | Getty Images