Exhausted Hearts’ Conference League injury almost took its toll in a 3-1 defeat by Thun in Switzerland.
Belgium coach Wouter Vrancken was without 10 players due to various ailments and the Scottish side suffered another blow in the 22nd minute when defender Jamie McCarthy struck an own goal.
Tun doubled the lead in the 33rd minute after poorer defending from striker Brighton Labeau, this time through injured captain Stephen Kingsley, then Furkan Dursun grabbed a third in the 56th minute and Jambos defender Stuart Findlay reduced the deficit with a header in the 82nd minute.
Hearts are left with one Conference League point from nine after losing 1-1 at home to Nordsjaelland and 2-0 away to Trabzonspor.
Thick smoke from the pyre halted play shortly after kick-off, but when play resumed after a long delay – with nine minutes added to the end of the first half – Hearts winger Josh McPake saved from Nicklas Steffen with an underpowered angled effort.
In the 20th minute, McPake’s effort after drifting in from 25 yards down the left had power but was beaten by the Thun ‘keeper.
Nothing unpleasant appeared on the horizon, but then came the Hearts horror show.
There was no real pressure on the Jambos goal when the long ball entered the box, but McCart’s simple back pass with Lucien Dahler on his shoulder somehow eluded Hearts keeper Beau Reus and slid into the corner of the net.
Thu’s second goal was also a gift package.
The home side came out quick and fast after a Heart set piece and when Nils Reichmuth crossed into the box from the right, Kingsley stuck out a leg to clear but the ball went straight to Labeau, who slotted it into the net from 10 yards.
Dursuna was shown a yellow card for a tackle on Findlay, which perhaps deserved more punishment.
Fireworks in the crowd stopped the game early
The break gave the Tynecastle side time to recover, but three minutes after the break, Reus made a diving save from Dursun and minutes later he did the better of Reichmuth.
But the keeper was beaten again when Dursun put his foot on Reichmut’s cross.
On the hour mark, Nico Maier eluded the Hearts defense but his chip beat Reus but went wide.
The night got worse for the roaring visitors as the injured Kingsley was replaced by 19-year-old Matthew Gillies, recalled from a loan spell at Stenhousemuir.
Hearts were sporadic in threat.
Malachi Fagan-Walcott’s header from Jordi Altena’s free-kick was brilliantly saved by Steffen.
In the 78th minute, Jan Bamert headed the ball into the net after Steffen had deflected a free-kick from substitute Nassim Zoukit, but Findlay was ruled offside before another Altena consolation.
Vrancken calls for unity as Hearts tries to make a comeback
Hearts head coach Wouter Vranken:
“We must be together now. We know in all circumstances what we are in.”
“And there’s only one thing you have to do now, and that’s stick together and work hard.
“Overall, it wasn’t good enough in terms of quality, and can they be blamed?
“Yes, on the one hand you can, because you always want to expect the best and want the best.
“On the other hand, I’m still proud of what they’ve done in the current games.”