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Heart of Midlothian

  1. Dinamo Minsk 1-2 Hearts: Analysis

    Andrew Petrie
    BBC Sport Scotland

    Yan Dhanda and Lawrence Shankland celebrateSNS

    This would have been a wildly frustrating night for Hearts fans and staff alike.

    Once again, they were up against a team in Europe that seemed entirely beatable. Yet, the answer to the enigma seemed ungraspable for the players on the pitch.

    Another low-block that Hearts struggled to break down, more vulnerable defending. It has all become far too common a sight for Hearts fans this season.

    Forrest was particularly guilty for his part in Dinamo's goal. Barrie McKay had one of his worst nights in a Hearts shirt.

    But interim head coach Liam Fox has once again produced a positive result in the dying seconds. Be it luck or an extra little bit of belief, Hearts have pulled a rabbit out of the hat in the last few seconds for the second game running.

    Can they do it at Aberdeen on Sunday? The history book suggests not.

    The international break after that game comes at a good time and having a permanent manager appointed when league football returns in late October is essential.

  3. Dinamo Minsk 1-2 Hearts: Who impressed?

    Beni BaningimeSNS

    Beni Baningime. The midfielder was good at breaking up play and distributing - the problems started when the ball was out wide.

    However, Baningime has added a bit more grit to the Hearts midfield since he's returned from injury and has allowed Cammy Devlin and Blair Spittal a little more licence to get forward.

    A mention for young Adam Forrester at right-back, too. The 19-year-old is athletic, gets up and down well and runs all day. He's only two games into his first-team career and looks solid.

  4. Dinamo Minsk v Hearts

  5. Line-ups from Mehdi Huseynzade Stadium

    Dinamo Minsk: Lapoukhov, Pigas, Politevich, Sachivko, Rai Lopes, Amian, Kalinin, Demchenko, Podstrelov, Zherdev, Alfred.

    Substitutes: Karatai, Okoro, Gavrilovich, Budzko, Selyava, Khvaschinski, Adeola, Kulikov, Pedro Igor, Begunov, Shkolik, Melnichenko.

    Hearts: Gordon, Forrester, Kent, Rowles, Penrice, Devlin, Baningime, Spittal, Forrest, McKay, Shankland.

    Substitutes: Clark, Kingsley, Halkett, Oyegoke, Grant, Oda, Boateng, Dhanda, Tait, Boyce, Vargas, Salazar.

    Mehdi Huseynzade StadiumSNS

  6. 'Sheep in outside lane? Welcome to Azerbaijan'

    Brian McLauchlin
    BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Azerbaijan

    Hearts players training in AzerbaijanSNS

    Hearts players train at the Mehdi Huseynzade Stadium in Sumqayit

    Its just over 3,300 miles from Gorgie to Sumqayit here in Azerbaijan where Hearts will begin their Uefa Conference League campaign this evening but I'm sure the players will be able to hear the noise should Lawrence Shankland, or any of his colleagues, score the goal that would give them their first win of the season.

    Unfortunately for the Gorgie faithful the game will be played behind closed doors due to Uefa rules regarding teams from Belarus competing in their competitions.

    Baku itself, where the team have been based for the last two days, is a city brimming with history but visibly pushing itself into becoming a modern environment.

    The skyline shows new hotels lit up at night in the colours of the country but in the city centre itself there are indications of days gone by with walls surrounding many of the historical parts.

    The road on the way to Sumqayit on Wednesday evening was something to behold. Thousands of cars making their way out of the city. Not sure where to but it seemed the 40-odd mile distance from the capital was a constant gridlock of motors.

    It wasn’t helped I'm sure by the sheep farmer deciding to move his flock on the outside lane at one point. Not sure they would allow this on the Edinburgh city by.

    However, all that matters tonight for Hearts is to somehow get the win that would kickstart their season.

    And it could just happen here in Azerbaijan. Who says football isn't bonkers?

  7. 'Out-of-form Hearts have better players than Minsk'

    Hearts playersSNS

    Football analyst John Walker says that while Hearts must be wary of Dinamo Minsk's threats, the Tynecastle side are more than capable of making a winning start in the Conference League in Azerbaijan.

    Walker has been taking a look at Minsk's threats on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

    "They've got Boni Amian, an Ivory Coast midfielder who's on loan," he said.

    "He's really, really fast breaking from centre midfield. He's got lots of energy. I quite like him.

    "He maybe not as technically gifted, if he was, he'd probably be playing in a higher league than the Belarussian league just now.

    "But I do think as a team Hearts can go and genuinely win. As much as Hearts are out of form, they've got better players across the park.

    "From what I've seen in the Ross County game, albeit only the highlights, a lot of what Hearts like to do is down the sides and getting crosses in from Stephen Kingsley. Lawrence Shankland is also a real threat in the air."

    Former midfielder Ryan Stevenson says a win in the closed-door match is a must for Hearts to turn their season around.

    "Maybe having no fans there might help them," Stevenson said.

    "But the situation Hearts are in right now it doesn't matter if there's 10 fans in there or 10,000, Hearts just somehow need to muster a win."

  8. 'It's a collaborative piece' - how Hearts are finding a new head coach

    Brian McLauchlin
    BBC Sport Scotland in Azerbaijan

    Hearts CEO Andrew McKinlaySNS

    CEO Andrew McKinlay aims to appoint Steven Naismith's head coach replacement 'as soon as possible'

    Hearts' head coach shortlist features "some really good candidates" amid a "fascinating" recruitment process, says CEO Andrew McKinlay.

    The vacancy has attracted "huge interest", with Hearts – working in conjunction with an analytics company - receiving over 100 notes of interest before choosing eight applicants for consideration.

    The likes of Derek McInnes, Stephen Robinson and Tony Docherty have been linked with the role, but McKinlay says Hearts are "are looking for someone maybe a bit different".

    On how Hearts are conducting the managerial search with the analytics company, he said: “There is a mix. It's not so much the analytical company have come up with the list. We have put to them some from a list that we had put together ourselves.

    "It's not just those that have approached us. There are others who we think we would like to speak to. You then find out if they are interested, some might not be, so they may not have applied, but when you pique their interest then they think it may be of interest.

    "Then the analytics company may have a few other names as well. It's misunderstood, this, as it’s not just a case of them just churning out a name and we go, ‘Oh no, that’s not a name we want.

    "That's not the way it works. It's a collaborative piece. The analytics also only take you so far. You then have to look at is this someone who will work within a sporting director environment? Is this someone who will work with analytics going forward which is very important to us">