Heart of Midlothian suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat to Sturm Graz in the Champions League second qualifying round first leg, with Alexandros Kyziridis missing a crucial first-half chance. The Greek forward has now issued an emotional apology to fans.
What happened in the match?
Heart of Midlothian took a 1-0 lead in Austria but collapsed after Kyziridis missed a clear opportunity. Sturm Graz scored four unanswered goals in the second half, leaving the Jambos needing a remarkable comeback in the return leg at Tynecastle.
Kyziridis' apology to fans
The 25-year-old posted on social media: "Yesterday was a very difficult day for all of us. There are no excuses for a result like that. I want to sincerely apologise to every single supporter, especially those who travelled to support us away from home."
Manager Vrancken's response
Wouter Vrancken insisted the tie is still alive and plans to give every player minutes in Friday's friendly against Raith Rovers. Amadou Ba-Sy and Stuart Findlay could push for starts after limited game time in Austria.
What's next for Heart of Midlothian?
The Jambos face Sturm Graz again on Tuesday at Tynecastle, needing at least four goals to advance. Vrancken said: "It’s going to be that everybody gets the minutes, because you see also on Tuesday that you need everybody."
