Heart of Midlothian

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Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken: "Amazing, amazing.

"When you see the game, we played a really bad first half, a little bit similar as we did in Benfica.

"We made agreements, we had a game plan, and we didn't follow up, we didn't show the guts to follow up.

"When you play against a side like Rapid Vienna, when you don't show it, they can play through you.

"We were already pretty angry at half-time, and we came out, we did much better. We took the game in our hands, we were dominant at that moment.

"This is already a mental strength, coming back on 1-0 down and coming back like this.

"I think they have to learn that they're a good team, that they're good players, that they can show it and show the guts every time, every week, every game again.

"Because in the last away games in Europe, you see that they're a little bit scared to do things, to take risks or to give spaces away. Then we don't play our game.

"You saw it two times. But again, the development of the team, the progress of the team is amazing. The team spirit, like you said, I saw it from the first session already.

"Coming together and all those new things, they went into it, they want to learn it.

"They wanted to have feedback, they want to go into it and the kind of football we played. This is the result, they get rewarded, and I'm so happy for them.

"And I think we can make more steps in the coming weeks and hope that we can take the steps as soon as possible, but the work ethic that the players put into it, I'm really proud to work with this group."

Beau Reus' brilliant penalty shootout saves secured 10-man Hearts Conference League progress as they fought back to defeat Rapid Vienna after an enthralling play-off second leg.

Read the match report here.

Have your say here.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Blair Spittal is on a mission to take care of Conference League unfinished business by beating Rapid Vienna in the Austrian capital tonight.

The midfielder was part of the Tynecastle team that failed to make the knockout rounds two years ago despite winning their opening two league-phase fixtures.

Hearts' hopes of making it through the play-off are on a knife-edge after last week's 2-2 first-leg draw.

"It feels like unfinished business because we didn't get through it," Spittal said.

"I think we started the league phase ever so well. I remember there being a stat about what percentage chance we had of going through the group after the first few games.

"We managed to muck that up if I'm being honest, so there's a wee bit of a sour taste from that perspective. If we can go through, we can definitely advance to the next round."

Hearts came from a goal down at Tynecastle last week, with James McPake levelling before teenage striker James Wilson's spectacular goal gave the hosts a shortlived lead.

Spittal expects a similar type of game in the Austrian capital but knows Hearts must be tighter in defence.

"We'd like to keep their chances to a minimum," he added.

"We've got the capability to score goals, I think you can see that in the last couple of weeks. You can see the progress in the team, so the main thing is that we go out and put on a performance

"They were a good team, they were obviously different than Sturm Graz, more possession-based and wanted to play more passes and play with more tempo.

"I thought once we came to grips with the first half, it was a wee bit cagey from our point of view and there are things we could have done a lot better. But in the second half, we came out and took the game to them."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Wednesday night's Conference League play-off round second leg against Rapid Vienna.

Here are the main points:

• Vrancken says he has a difficult decision to make regarding the striker position after James Wilson's stunning goal in the first leg last week.

• The Hearts coach says it will be "no risk" in playing summer signing Laurent Mendy as the medical staff says he is now ready if required.

• He expects a "special atmosphere" inside the ground and described this as a "massive game" for both teams so there will be pressure.

• Vrancken says the team have been practising penalties "for the last few weeks" should the game go all the way.

• He expects new signing JJ Williams to be ready to play from this weekend as he already has 18 games under his belt this season for Rhode Island.

• Vrancken knows Rapid Vienna are "a good side with a lot of intensity and good build-up" but admits "the players feel we can also be the dominant team".

• The Hearts boss says "we may be the underdog on paper but that doesn't say anything" and adds: "When you show conviction and really believe in what you're doing, leave it all out there, then anything can happen."

• He says Hearts are "of the strong belief that we have a chance to reach the league phase" but knows "it will require a lot of effort and quality".

• And the 47-year-old stresses progressing to the league phase would "be a massive result for confidence for the players but also for the whole club".

• Vrancken insists "we have to be on top of our qualities and team effort to make the result" and stresses "the conviction is there, we just have to show it on the pitch".

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American forward JJ Williams says he had sleepless nights as his protracted Hearts move concluded and is now dreaming of scoring at Tynecastle.

Hearts have boosted their striker options by signing the 6ft 4in forward from Rhode Island on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

"It's a dream come true for me, honestly," William told HeartsTV.

"I was hoping this deal would have been done a long time ago but the fact that I'm here, I'm getting immersed in the culture, I'm getting to experience a lot of the history that's Hearts.

"There is no place I'd rather be. It's the only club that I'm worried about and thinking about.

"I just want to take that big step. For so many years, I've been looking to get out of the States and it's just how everything happened for me to do it now.

"So I'm beyond blessed and happy to be here."

The 28-year-old leaves the USL Championship club after netting 30 goals and providing 13 assists in 79 games for the second-tier side.

The former Atlanta player had an impressive spell at Tampa Bay Rowdies before joining Rhode Island in 2024.

"I'm actually going to go to the museum after this and go check it out," he added.

"What I do realise is that you're playing for more than just a game, what it means to people and that's what I can't wait to play for. These are the people that I can't wait to play for.

"I'm going to struggle to sleep tonight. Whenever I got in, I've been struggling to sleep because I've been thinking of scoring goals in front of the fans for the last five or six days since I knew it was going to happen.

"I'm going to take pictures of it [Tynecastle] and just dream about this tonight."

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

The Conference League play-off second leg away to Rapid Vienna on Wednesday night feels like the very definition of a 50-50 tie.

Rapid could easily have been a couple of goals ahead last Thursday but for some smart saves from Beau Reus.

Even so, they looked very gettable during the first 30 minutes of the second half, and had Josh McPake not been forced off through injury, we might have gone on to win.

I'm not trying to downplay Rapid's quality, but from an attacking perspective, things do seem to be starting to click for Wouter Vrancken and his team.

Defensively, there is still a fragility, particularly when defending set-pieces - an area that was one of our strengths last season.

To progress, Hearts will need to summon the spirit of great European away nights gone by, like Basel in 2004, Bordeaux in 2003 or Austria Vienna in 1988.

I'm hoping this generation of Jambos can savour an away victory to remember for years to come. That said, I don't agree Wednesday's result is season defining.

For the Jamestown Analytics model to fully flourish, European league-phase football would undoubtedly make it easier to showcase players, but there is still plenty to look forward to domestically.

Winning a cup and finishing third would make this season a success, and the early signs suggest that could be achievable under Vrancken.

It is also the final full week of the transfer window and, while American striker JJ Williams and Faroese winger Aron Benjaminsen are reportedly set to join, moving on some fringe players could be just as important.

I swapped seats from my usual spot in the Gorgie Stand and was sitting near Sander Kartum, Elton Kabangu and Yan Dhanda. It feels imperative we move these guys on and create a clearer pathway for our academy prospects to get involved.

Last week, we witnessed one of the great European goals at Tynecastle when James Wilson unleashed a sublime 30-yard screamer. While I don't think there is a queue of youngsters at the Oriam ready to do that every week, Hearts clearly have a youth system producing enviable talent.

Involving these players more regularly, whether in training or matchday squads, can only help their development.

Faroe Islands Under-21 winger Aron Benjaminsen is on Hearts' wanted list and the Edinburgh club are favourites to sign the 18-year-old from Vikingur Gota. (Daily Record - subscription required, external)

Hearts have completed a deal for Benjaminsen, with a sell-on clause likely included in the deal. (Trondur Arge on X, external)

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.

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Claudio Braga insists he is in no rush to leave Hearts, with Lyon and Trabzonspor among the clubs interested in the 26-year-old striker. Edinburgh Evening News, external

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland at Tynecastle

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Amid the bedlam on the pitch and in the stands, pretty much every Hearts supporter stood to applaud Josh McPake when he was taken off on 73 minutes against Rapid Vienna.

The 24-year-old properly announced himself as a Hearts player in the Conference League play-off first leg, having made the switch from St Johnstone after a stellar season in the Championship.

McPake was the driving force behind a lot of Hearts' positive attacking play, starting towards the end of the first half.

Three times he managed to cut inside from the left on to his right foot - a trademark last term in Perth - and get decent efforts on goal.

But he also showed he could drive down the outside and cut back balls towards the penalty spot, only Hearts had nobody in positions to finish.

His persistence paid off, though, when he got into the box and found the equaliser via a deflection. It was just rewards for his performance, and Hearts did not carry the same threat when he was removed with what appeared to be cramp.

Those skills - his low centre of gravity, quick feet and determined attitude - are well known by Championship opposition, given his 19 goals for St Johnstone last term.

But to do it on the European stage against a good Rapid Vienna side was another statement, and one which is hugely encouraging for Hearts.

Tony Bloom's analytics picks out talent from all over the world, and given the focus on the lack of Scottish talent being given opportunities, it is also a boost more widely that a player who had to drop down the divisions to revive his career can be given the chance to improve through playing regularly.

It is only one game, but if McPake can replicate that performance consistently, he will make a huge contribution to Hearts and may even catch the eye of the new Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli.

For now, McPake is enjoying working under Wouter Vrancken at Hearts, saying: "I have loads of positive chats with him just about going forward, but also the defending side of it, making sure I'm switched on there.

"He's massive on that. It's been brilliant so far and I've loved working with him.

"Obviously, I had confidence in myself coming here. I said that even when I was at St Johnstone and I got asked the questions about here, that I had the confidence to step up.

"I'm enjoying it so far. I'm loving these types of games against Benfica and Rapid Vienna, so we'll see what else I can do."

We asked for your views after Hearts fought out a thrilling 2-2 draw with visitors Rapid Vienna in the Conference League play-off first leg.

Here's what some of you said:

Alison: Wasteful. We didn't really get into the game apart from the odd spell here and there. We can't keep going out with the mindset of attack, attack, attack - we will lose more then we win. I expect us to lose in Austria as we are too vulnerable defensively and the coach doesn't seem to think it's an issue.

Jim: A terrific match to watch for the neutral but as a Hearts supporter continued concerns regards our defending. We are very close to having a team that will challenge for all the prizes this season but we need to plug the defensive lapses. Great to see James Wilson in action up front, he deserves a starting place and an extended run.

Steve: Contrasting emotions. Wilson's strike was world class, he did more in the five minutes after coming on than Landry Kabore and Amadou Ba-Sy have done all season. Defensively poor. Jordi Altena not being able to complete simple passes cost us for the opening goal. It needs addressing.

Richard: I'm not sure, with our defence, that we'd be very good at going over there and defending a narrow lead so it being a one-off match we need to win is perhaps better. They're very tidy on the ball and look after it well, and I'd rather we were as careful with it in possession. They'd done their homework on stopping us playing and other than when we surfed a wave of motivation at the start of the second half we didn't really get to do ourselves justice.

George: Great team performance, with an exceptional personal display from Claudio Braga. He just shows his worth to the team every game he plays.

Kenneth: The game was there for winning. I would say Hearts blew the opportunity. The second leg will be a cup tie but whoever has more desire will win.

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Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken: "Yeah, like you said, it's open, and you can see that it's also a good side we play against.

"I think we showed the next step today, I'm really proud of the players because not only were the intentions good with the ball, but there was a lot of energy, intensity in the game and also without the ball.

"When I see the numbers now, physical parameters, it's nice to see because I think they never did it before and we're making steps in that way also.

"That's what I like to see, an energetic style of play.

"They did really good today, especially in the second half and coming back from 0-1 is also showing the mentality they have and the team spirit they show without panicking, just play the game, do the things with the game plan we wanted to play.

"Like I said, I'm really proud of the players, it's just a pity that we don't have the bonus to go to Vienna next week."

"I think it needed just a little bit more conviction.

"Some situations we doubted to put pressure on in some moments and we showed that we don't have to be scared because when you're scared you get beaten.

"The conviction was there in the second half and the push was there and we scored some nice goals and we didn't give too much away.

"All good, but we cannot back down 1% next week because otherwise we will be beaten.

"But when we can show this again, we make an extra step in conviction and knowing what we want and how we want to do it, then the belief is there that we can reach the league phase."

A late Rapid Vienna goal cancelled out a 30-yard screamer from teenager James Wilson and denied Hearts a comeback victory in the first leg of their Conference League play-off at Tynecastle.

Read the full match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

As the summer transfer deadline edges nearer, the Hearts squad Wouter Vrancken has assembled is beginning to take shape.

Most of the new additions - there have been 11 in total - are finally settling in and beginning to show the talents that brought them to Tynecastle.

There have been a number of standout performances, with Tom Renaud and Calvin Miller in particular catching the eye.

Goalkeeper Beau Reus looks to have a real presence and hopefully when a settled defence becomes available, he can prove to be a strong backbone of the team.

Tonight at Tynecastle would be the perfect opportunity to show the supporters exactly what this new-look Hearts side can do.

Rapid Vienna stand between Hearts and a place in the Conference League, and with another sell-out crowd ready to roar them on, the atmosphere is sure to be special.

The Austrians arrive in fine form having scored eight without reply in their weekend league win over Grazer AK. It was their seventh straight victory this season, so the winning mentality is clear.

Danish striker Tonni Adamsen only joined the club in the summer from Silkeborg, but the 31-year-old has found his form quickly, scoring four of Rapid's goals at the weekend.

They also have experience of the Conference League, having competed in the competition last season, although they managed only one point from six games.

This is the last chance saloon for Hearts to continue their European adventure. Rapid will provide a stern test, but they are no Benfica or Sturm Graz.

This is a tie Hearts can win, and a victory - preferably with a clean sheet - at Tynecastle would be the perfect way to head to Austria next week with confidence high.

The players have already shown glimpses of what they can offer. Now is the time to produce it.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hearts defender Jamie McCart says the team's steady improvement in recent weeks provides the confidence they can overcome Rapid Vienna and reach the Conference League proper.

McCart's return to the starting XI has coincided with a three-game unbeaten run as Wouter Vrancken's methods begin to take hold after his reign began with four defeats on the bounce.

Speaking before Thursday's play-off first leg at Tynecastle, McCart said: "I think you've seen a slow progression with the team, especially in the last few weeks we're looking a lot better.

"When you're in a European game you've got to go in with confidence because you know you're playing top opposition and you've got to be positive."

Rapid arrive in Edinburgh on the back of an 8-0 league victory over Grazer AK and McCart says Hearts are fully aware of the challenge they face.

"The manager's done quite a lot of work on them with us, but also I think we've got to focus on ourselves, especially being home leg first at Tynecastle," he added.

"We want to get the fans right behind us, generate a positive atmosphere and have a positive result to take back to Austria. That would be ideal.

Hearts were beaten heavily by Sturm Graz and Benfica in their previous European ties, but McCart believes those experiences can help the team deal with the demands of facing another strong opponent.

He said: "It's shown in the games, we've had spells, we've been really good, but at this level if you switch off, they can take the game away from you very quickly.

"That was shown away in Austria and Lisbon. There's a couple of quick-fire goals and the tie can be pretty much over,so as a team we've got to draw from that experience and learn from it.

"As a team we want European football, so the target is to get through the tie. I think it would be brilliant for the club and the fans to look forward to, but we know it's going to be a tough tie so we've got to be at our best."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Wouter Vrancken has been speaking to the media before Hearts host Rapid Vienna in the Conference League play-off first leg on Thursday.

Here are the key points:

• The Tynecastle boss confirms a move for Rhode Island FC striker JJ Williams is "happening on the background" but Vrancken is keen to focus on the current squad amid a hectic run of games.

• Harry Milne and Laurent Mendy are doubts but the latter could be fit for next week.

• On free-scoring Rapid, Vrancken says they are "better on the ball" than fellow Austrians Sturm Graz, who defeated Hearts 6-0 in Champions League qualifying.

• He adds: "A good team. Like Sturm Graz, they want to also press high. They have a strong pressure style. Rapid has the physicality, but there's also the qualities to play. You see it also in their games, you see also the goals they score."

• Hearts have to "go all in" on their last chance to secure league-phase football, with Vrancken saying: "It's very important. Everybody wants to play in Europe in those league phases. For the club it's also important. Also financially probably, but this is something for other people. But I think the sporting side of it, every player, every coach wants to play as far as possible in Europe."

• Vrancken says Hearts - now unbeaten in three games after losing the first four - are improving all the time but will have to be "almost perfect" to get past Rapid.

• On fellow Belgian Sebastien Pocognoli's appointment as Scotland boss, Vrancken says: "Yes, for sure it was a surprise. Also in Belgium. I know him pretty good because I played with him as a player in Genk. He's a good guy, 100%. He did some really good things with Union [St-Gilloise], let's hope he can show the same things with Scotland. He can call me when he wants. He has my number."

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Goalkeeper Liam McFarlane has signed a contract extension with Hearts until summer 2029.

The 21-year-old is currently on loan at Championship side Partick Thistle after previous stints at East Fife and Alloa.

Although still to appear for Hearts' first team, the highly-regarded Scotland Under-21 international was given the opportunity to go to the World Cup with Steve Clarke's senior squad as a training goalkeeper earlier this summer.

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

After scoring 11 goals in the past three games, it's fair to say Hearts are buying into Wouter Vrancken's attacking philosophy.

The "organised chaos" now looks more like organised attacking play. That shift has produced 32 efforts on goal across the Dundee United, Benfica and Inverness Caley Thistle matches, with half of them on target.

Encouragingly, most of the attackers have impressed during this run. Josh McPake and Calvin Miller have strengthened their claims for starting places with goals and assists, while Sabah Kerjota, the Albanian magician, has added creativity and end product after former boss Derek McInnes kept one of his best tricks up his sleeve last season.

The early scrutiny on Vrancken, after defeats in each of his first four games, has quickly faded. The main question now is whether he can guide us into the Conference League proper.

I'm expecting goals across both legs of the play-off with Rapid Vienna. Their 8-0 home win over Grazer last weekend kept them top of the Austrian Bundesliga and they look likely to be as formidable as Sturm Graz. Even so, we are in better shape for this tie than we were a month ago.

I don't have many concerns in the attacking third, aside from the lack of a clear starting number nine.

Defensively, we still need to tighten up, but there are signs of progress. Jamie McCart and Oisin McEntee have both delivered strong centre-half performances in the past fortnight and hopefully can carry that form into the tie against the Austrians.

If Calvin Miller starts at left-back again in Harry Milne's absence, his partnership with Josh McPake could give us plenty down that side. Both work hard, have the technical quality for intricate play, understand their defensive responsibilities, and are beginning to build a productive connection.

If we can get through Thursday night level in the tie - or better still, ahead - I'd strongly fancy us to finish the job, even though we haven't won a match outside of Edinburgh since late January.

A win in Vienna would be one for the history books, but whatever happens next, there is finally a sense Hearts are building something with real momentum.