Hearts produced a spirited display but were unable to maintain their perfect start in the Conference League as they went down 2-0 to Bundesliga side Heidenheim at Tynecastle.
The Edinburgh side, buoyed by winning their opening two matches in the competition, appeared to have their German visitors rattled as they created a host of chances in the first half.
But they were made to rue their failure to strike while on top as Heidenheim instead made it three victories out of three courtesy of second-half headers from Sirlord Conteh and substitute Jan Schoppner.
Despite this setback, the Scottish Premiership side remain in the top half of the Conference League table ahead of their trip to Cercle Brugge in three weeks.
Hearts boss Neil Critchley made two changes to the team that started Saturday’s league win over St Johnstone as Adam Forrester and Stephen Kingsley replaced Daniel Oyegoke and Kye Rowles.
Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland looks dejected
Heidenheim – who had risen from the seventh tier of German football to the Bundesliga – were backed by more than 700 travelling supporters for what was only their third away fixture in Europe and their first-ever match in the UK.
Hearts, who had won three of their previous four meetings with German opposition at Tynecastle, made a strong start in their quest to become the second Scottish team to beat a Bundesliga side this week after Celtic’s Champions League triumph over RB Leipzig.
Lawrence Shankland had a great chance to open the scoring in the third minute when the ball broke kindly into his path on the edge of the box after James Penrice charged down Lennard Maloney, but the captain fired his shot against the legs of Kevin Muller.
Two second-half headers condemned Hearts to defeat
The Heidenheim goalkeeper made another save to deny Shankland from a tight angle five minutes later after some incisive play by Yan Dhanda and Blair Spittal released him in the box.
Frankie Kent then sent a free header wide from a Spittal corner at the back post before Penrice shot over after Alan Forrest’s cross from the right broke to him just inside the box.
Spittal and Forrest both threatened in quick succession with driving runs towards goal as Hearts continued to look the likelier side to break the deadlock.
Having been firmly on top in terms of chances created, the hosts had a major let-off two minutes before the break when Malachi Boateng got back to hook the ball off the line from Maloney’s looping header after goalkeeper Craig Gordon – on his 300th appearance for the Jambos – had launched himself out of his six-yard box to punch a corner kick clear.
Hearts struggled to regain the upper hand in the early stages of the second half and they fell behind in the 57th minute after sub Mathias Honsak darted down the left and crossed for Conteh who glanced home a close-range header at the near post.
The hosts kept themselves in the game until the 89th minute when Schoppner powered home a header from Omar Haktab Traore’s cross to seal victory for the Germans and set them up nicely for their home match against Chelsea in three weeks.
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