Hearts bring the noise but Zurich have the final say

For all their recent progress under Robbie Neilson, the manager who has led them back into Scotland’s top flight and on to the international stage, the biggest step of the lot proved to be agonisingly beyond Hearts at a packed Tynecastle last night.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg of their Europa League play-off round tie against FC Zurich, they had high hopes of scoring the goals that would secure them a lucrative place in the group stage, where the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Roma and Lazio would lie in wait.

And for much of the night, it looked on, as they dominated the game, roared on by a big, passionate crowd, but their impressive work was not rewarded with a goal and, worse