Hearts 3-1 Rosenborg (agg 4-3): Cammy Devlin nets last-gasp winner

Hearts 3-1 Rosenborg (agg 4-3): Cammy Devlin nets stoppage-time winner as hosts fight back from 3-1 down to book Europa Conference League play-off against PAOK

• Izak Thorvaldsson scored in the fifth minute to put Rosenborg 3-1 up in the tie
• But Hearts drew level with goals by Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland 
• And Devlin’s deflected strike snatched a dramatic win for the home side 

Amid a thunderous Tynecastle din that Thor himself would no doubt have approved of, sensational Hearts stormed into the Europa Conference League play-off round.

Trailing 3-1 on aggregate after a fifth minute goal from Isaiah Thorvaldsson, the Edinburgh side could have given up the fight against a talented and lively young Rosenborg team.

Instead the spirited Scots weathered the early setback and launched raid after raid on the goal of the visitors who hail from Trondheim; a city founded by a Viking king.

A long night would see Rosenborg’s defences slowly ground down. Wearied by first half goals from Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin, a winner duly arrived deep into second half stoppage time from Devlin.

When the Australia international’s deflected shot found the net the cacophony of noise that greeted it shook this Edinburgh footballing cathedral to its very core.

Cammy Devlin scored a stoppage-time winner to compete a remarkable fightback by Hearts

His winner had ensured Hearts pillaged a place in the play-offs against Greek side PAOK with the first leg at Tynecastle next Thursday night.

A £5million European bounty is on offer from being group stage participants but Hearts also want the glamour of a European tour that last season saw them face Fiorentina, Istanbul Basaksehir and RFS Riga in the Conference League group stages.

As kick off approached, Tynecastle really was a sight to behold as the two teams ran out to a decibel busting din as Hearts fans roared and twirled their scarves.

There was also an impressive fan banner on display reading: ‘From One Generation to Another’ and featuring the shirts of club greats Willie Bauld, Gary Mackay and John Robertson. It was to prove a match for the ages.

The noise that greeted the first corner kick of the game won by the home side was akin to a goal being scored as the Edinburgh side chased a quick goal. Unfortunately, Frankie Kent’s header sailed high over the Rosenborg bar.

Hearts had spoken pre-match about the need for a fast start and for their fans to be patient but it was Rosenborg who took the lead after just five minutes.

Thorvaldsson was bafflingly left unmarked at the edge of the six yard box to head a freekick from Adrian Pereira towards goal.

Zander Clark made a fine save but Thorvaldsson was the first to reach and his shot squirmed through the legs of the Hearts goalkeeper and into the back of the net, despite his best efforts to stop the ball crossing the line.

The goal had briefly punctured the raucous atmosphere at Tynecastle and when Emil Frederiksen flashed a shot narrowly wide, Hearts fans started to vent their frustrations.

It was going a bit flat but, to their great credit, Hearts regrouped and starting showing their attacking menace.

Izak Thorvaldsson scored in the fifth minute to put Rosenborg 3-1 up in the tie

Lawrence Shankland started the fightback by dinking over the keeper in the 13th minute

MATCH FACTS

HEARTS (4-2-3-1): Clark 6.5; Atkinson 7, Kent 7, Rowles 7, Kingsley 7.5; DEVLIN 8 (Halliday 90), Denholm 7 (Forrest 66); Oda 6 (McKay 46), Boyce 7 (Tagawa 66), Cochrane 6.5 (Sibbick 90); Shankland 7.

Scorers: Shankland 13, Devlin 50.

Booked: Cochrane, Denholm.

Manager: Frankie McAvoy: 8

ROSENBORG (4-3-3): Hansen 6; Andersson 6 (Holte 89) (Holte 89), Reitan 6 (Rosten 73), Jenssen 6, Pereira 6; Skarsem 6 (Wiedesheim-Paul 59), Borkeeiet 6, Nypan 7; Holse 6, Thorvaldsson 7 (Cornic 89), Frederiksen 6.5.

Scorer: Thorvaldsson 5.

Booked: Pereira, Thorvaldsson.

Manager: Svein Maalen 5.5

Ref: David Fuxman (Israel) 5.5

They came so close to a leveller when Yutaro Oda’s fierce shot thumped back off the left post and was cleared to safety.

But the Tynecastle team were soon level on the night when left back Stephen Kingsley played a wonderful ball through the Rosenborg defence for Shankland to chase.

The Hearts captain doesn’t miss chances like that and he finished beautifully with a chip over keeper Hansen.

Just as in the first leg in Trondheim, Rosenborg were looking vulnerable whenever Hearts played the ball long and direct.

By now, Tynecastle was back noisy and bouncing and Hearts were soon in on goal again when Oda played in Shankland.

The Scotland international’s shot was saved by the legs of keeper Hansen but the better option was a square ball to Liam Boyce.

As Hearts finished the half the stronger, Kye Rowles saw a header from a Kingsley cross dip over the bar and onto the netting and Hansen made a good save from an Alex Cochrane shot.

Hearts had been far more creative than in Sunday’s 0-0 stalemate at home to Kilmarnock. But the management team of McAvoy and Naismith wanted more and they sent on winger Barrie McKay for Oda.

But it was heart in mouth time for the home side when Clark pushed out a cross from the right and it hit Rowles on the back. Luckily Nathaniel Atkinson was there to stop the ball crossing the line. Only just.

Hearts were ahead when Boyce’s left foot shot was saved by Hansen and Devlin was there to crack the ball high into the net via the crossbar.

The night was over for academy graduate Adrian Denholm as Alan Forrest took his place but the 19-year midfielder can be proud of his first start for Hearts.

Likewise, Boyce who was making his first start for a year after recovering from a cruciate ligament issue but made way for Kyosuke Tagawa.

The board went up for seven minutes of injury time and it looked like this match was heading to extra time.

Cammy Devlin scored his first of the night by scoring from an acute angle in 50th minute

Devlin’s deflected stoppage-time strike snatched a dramatic win for the home side

There were a few nervy moments as Hearts kept playing out from the back but the Scots ultimately found the goal they craved right at the death.

Devlin picked up the ball at the edge of the box and cracked a shot that took a nick as it flew past Hansen in the Rosenborg goal.

The Norwegian players fell to the deck in frustration, having tossed away a 3-1 lead.

As Tynecastle partied on a night to remember, the giant roar as Man of the Match Devlin was replaced with seconds to go by Andy Halliday was only bettered by the one that met the final whistle as a famous victory was confirmed.

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