Hearts cruise through but Cork crash
Also In The News
|
Trevor Graham, coach of Olympic gold medallist Justin Gatlin, could face a two-year ban from athletics if his star pupil is found guilty of doping charges. |  |
Wednesday, 02, Aug 2006 10:24
Hearts have cruised through to the third qualifying round of the Champions League after they drew 0-0 with Siroki Brijeg to claim a 3-0 aggregate win.
Their win in the first leg at Murrayfield gave them a heavy advantage to take to Bosnia and they never looked like losing it.
In fact, it was the Scots who began the brighter and they were nearly gifted a bizarre own goal on eight minutes.
Vladimir Vasilj in the Bosnian's goal tried to punch clear Neil McCann's corner but only succeeded in diverting the ball into his own net.
However, the goal was disallowed for a foul inside the six-yard box.
Mislav Karoglan was twice denied in by Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon, firstly on 15 minutes when his 25-yard shot was palmed away and then minutes later when he saved his free-kick from a similar distance.
Gordon also had to be at his best to deny Brazilian striker Celson five minutes into the second-half but the home side rarely threatened after that and Hearts comfortably sealed a third round tie with AEK Athens.
Elsewhere, Cork City's hopes of facing 2004 runners-up AC Milan in the third qualifying round were comprehensively dashed as they were beaten 3-0 by Crvena Zvezda.
Already a goal down from the first leg, the Serbians sealed the win through an early goal from Dejan Milovanovic and a brace from Nikola Zigic.
Arsenal will play Dinamo Zagreb in the third qualifying round after they thumped Lithuanian side FK Ekranas 5-2 on the night to win 9-3 on aggregate.