Hearts grab debut Champions League win
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Wednesday, 26, Jul 2006 11:06
Hearts have taken a giant step towards the next stage of the Champions League after they beat Siroki Brijeg 3-0 in the first leg of their second round tie.
Goals from Ibrahim Tall and Roman Bednar and an own goal from Branimir Anic saw the Jambos seal a healthy lead at Murrayfield to take to Bosnia for the second leg.
Hearts, in their first ever game in the Champions League, started brightly and Neil McCann, making his first start after six months out through injury, and Bednar both had good early chances sail just wide.
However, Hearts had to wait until eight minutes into the second-half before they grabbed the lead.
Anic made a fantastic saving-tackle from Bednar earlier in the half but a long throw from Robbie Neilson was diverted into his own net by the defender under pressure from Steven Pressley.
Midfielder Bruno Aguiar almost doubled the Edinburgh side's lead when his curling free-kick smacked against the upright but it wasn't long before the home side grabbed their second goal.
Tall broke into the visitor's box with 11 minutes to go and converted Michal Pospisil's cross from close range.
Bednar then added a third with six minutes remaining after he capitalised on Ivica Landeka's poor backpass to slot the ball underneath the goalkeeper.