Cammy Devlin scored a stoppage-time winner as Hearts mounted a stirring fightback from two objectives behind on mixture to get rid of Rosenborg 4-3 on mixture in a dramatic Europa Convention League third qualifying spherical tie.
The Jambos, already trailing 2-1 from the primary leg in Norway, got here from behind within the second leg at a packed Tynecastle to win 3-1 on the night time, organising a play-off with Greek aspect PAOK later this month.
The Norwegians in full management when an early objective from Isak Thorvaldsson put them 3-1 forward on mixture.
However the Jambos got here roaring again to degree the tie via objectives from captain Lawrence Shankland and Devlin. The Australian midfielder then sparked bedlam along with his second of the night time in added time.
Hearts made three adjustments to the staff that began Sunday’s goalless draw at residence to Kilmarnock within the Scottish Premiership as 19-year-old Aidan Denholm got here in for his first aggressive begin together with Liam Boyce and Alex Cochrane, whereas Peter Haring, Alex Lowry and Kyosuke Tagawa dropped out.
A sold-out Tynecastle was at its raucous finest because the groups emerged from the tunnel, however the Norwegians silenced the house assist simply six minutes in.
Thorvaldsson did the harm when he drilled the rebound over the road from the sting of the six-yard field after goalkeeper Zander Clark had performed fantastically to maintain out the striker’s preliminary header from an Adrian Pereira free-kick.
Hearts virtually equalised two minutes later, however Yutaro Oda smashed an angled shot off the far publish after being performed into the field on the precise by Shankland.
Clark needed to make a powerful save within the twelfth minute to stop Rosenborg stretching their lead when he bought all the way down to his left to cease Emil Frederiksen discovering the web with a low shot from eight yards out after the attacker had bought himself clear contained in the field.
It proved a pivotal second as Hearts went straight up the pitch and scored.
Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland celebrates as he makes it 1-1
Left-back Stephen Kingsley clipped a speculative through-ball in behind and Shankland managed to get himself clear earlier than producing a stunning end as he nonchalantly chipped the advancing Andre Hansen from the sting of the field.
The Jambos have been instantly stuffed with confidence and so they had an important probability to degree the tie on mixture within the twenty eighth minute when Shankland ran onto an Oda cross down the precise and noticed his angled shot blocked by the legs of the keeper when he had Boyce within the center begging for the ball to be squared.
Hearts continued within the ascendancy for the rest of the primary half.
Within the fortieth minute Kye Rowles headed over from Kingsley’s cross and seconds later Cochrane noticed a agency low shot from the sting of the field saved by Hansen.
The hosts survived a scare 4 minutes after the restart when Nathaniel Atkinson needed to hook the ball off the goal-line after his personal try and clear a cross into the six-yard field ricocheted again off team-mate Rowles.
Seconds later Hearts went forward on the night time and levelled the tie on mixture when Devlin adopted as much as smash a unfastened ball excessive into the web from a couple of yards out after Boyce’s highly effective shot from 12 yards out was blocked by Hansen.
And Devlin had the ultimate say in added time when his low deflected shot from the sting of the field discovered the web, sparking jubilant scenes inside Tynecastle.
What’s subsequent?
Hearts’ consideration turns to the Scottish League Cup with a tie in opposition to Championship aspect Partick Thistle on Sunday.
They may then face PAOK within the Europa Convention League play-off, with the primary leg subsequent Thursday.
Their subsequent Scottish Premiership match is presently scheduled for August 26, away to Dundee.