Cammy Devlin scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time as the Hearts put up a spectacular two-goal deficit on aggregate to eliminate Rosenborg in a dramatic third qualifying round of the European Conference League.
Jumbos, already trailing 2-1 in the first match in Norway, came from behind in the second match in a crowded Tynecastle to win 3-1 that evening and secure a 4-3 victory over two matches, setting up the game. -off with the Greek team PAOK at the end of this month.
The Norwegians seemed to be in complete control when an early goal from Isak Thorvaldsson gave them a 3-1 aggregate lead.
But the Jumbos roared back to equalize thanks to goals from captain Lawrence Shankland and Devlin. The Australian midfielder then went to bedlam with his second match in stoppage time.
Hearts made three changes to the squad, which started a goalless draw on Sunday at home to Kilmarnock in the Premier League spring-loaded: 19-year-old Aidan Denholm made his first competitive start alongside Liam Boyce and Alex Cochran, while Peter Haring, Alex Lowery and Kyosuke Tagawa is out.
The sold-out Tynecastle were at their best when the teams exited the tunnel, but the Norwegians silenced the supports after just six minutes.
Thorvaldsson caused damage when he rebounded across the line from the edge of the six-yard box after goaltender Zander Clarke made a superb header from the striker’s first free kick from Adrian Pereira.
Two minutes later, the hearts nearly equalized, but Yutaro Oda landed a corner kick from the far post after Shankland’s right-hander played into the box.
Clarke had to make an impressive save in the 12th minute to prevent Rosenborg from extending their lead when he went down to his left to prevent Emil Frederiksen from finding the net with an eight-yard low shot after the striker broke out of the box.
This proved to be a turning point, with Hearts immediately taking the field and scoring.
Left-back Stephen Kingsley scored a speculative pass from behind and Shankland managed to fight back before landing a beautiful shot as he casually knocked the advancing Andre Hansen off the edge of the penalty area.
The Jumbos were suddenly filled with confidence and had a great chance to equalize on aggregate in the 28th minute when Shankland ran into Oda’s pass from the right and saw his corner kick blocked by the keeper’s feet when he had Boyce. in the middle begs for the ball to be squared.
Hearts continued to dominate until the end of the first half.
In the 40th minute, Kai Rawls crossed from Kingsley’s cross, and a few seconds later Cochrane saw a confident low shot from the edge of the penalty area, saved by Hansen.
The hosts endured a panic four minutes after the restart when Nathaniel Atkinson had to hook the ball over the goal line after his own attempt to clear a cross into the penalty area ricocheted off teammate Rawls.
Seconds later, the Hearts took the lead to equalize on aggregate when Devlin hit the ball high into the net from several yards after Boyce’s powerful 12-yard shot was blocked by Hansen.
Devlin had the last word in stoppage time when his low rebound shot from the edge of the penalty area hit the net, setting off jubilant scenes in Tynecastle.