Hearts 2-2 Rapid Vienna: Player ratings, 30-yard screamer, £5m UEFA reward, attacking at will

Prospects of European league-phase football for Hearts are in the balance following a compelling 2-2 draw with Rapid Vienna at Tynecastle Park. This UEFA Conference League first leg turned on its head in the second half as the home side overhauled a 1-0 interval deficit to lead 2-1 before conceding an equaliser. They now travel to Vienna for next week’s second leg aiming to finish the job and secure a coveted place in the competition’s league stage, which runs until Christmas.

Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao headed the opening goal for Rapid on 30 minutes as the Austrians enjoyed a confident first half. Hearts raised the tempo after the interval, and Josh McPake’s deflected equaliser on 56 minutes preceded an outrageous 30-yarder from substitute James Wilson six minutes later. Rapid substitute Nikolaus Wurmbrand struck on 79 minutes with a goal which could be vital to his club’s hopes of progressing.

This was another open and entertaining affair for Hearts under head coach Wouter Vrancken. His team managed 17 shots at goal compared to Rapid Vienna’s nine, but the visitors’ conversion rate was better. Next Wednesday’s return match in Vienna’s Allianz Stadion is expected to be similarly enthralling between two teams who attack repeatedly.

Tynecastle was sold out for a tie which, on paper, was more winnable for Hearts than their Champions League and Europa League qualifiers. Sturm Graz and Benfica proved to be levels above, but there was a pre-match feeling that Rapid were beatable in this home leg. Whoever prevails on aggregate goes forward to the main phase of the Conference League and earns upwards of £5m in extra revenue.

There are no more safety nets at this level of European football, of course. Losers are left with domestic fixtures only, which served to heighten the anticipation. Hearts fans were denied the proper buzz of a Tynecastle European night because of heavy first-leg defeats in Graz and Lisbon in recent weeks. Understandably, they hoped to make up for missed opportunities, although this was a Rapid team which had scored 29 goals in eight competitive games this season.

There were 326 followers from Vienna tucked into a corner of the Roseburn Stand on an evening when the Gorgie weather was mild and calm. That was never going to be the case inside Tynecastle. Especially not when Rapid’s green-and-white-clad players gathered in a pre-match huddle in the middle of the pitch, prompting a round of jeers.

Captain Matthias Seidl - brother of Sturm’s Simon - struck the first meaningful shot of the night on nine minutes, which Hearts goalkeeper Beau Reus beat away. The Dutchman then sprung to his left to get a hand to Bendeguz Bolla’s effort from Jannes Horn’s left-sided cross. Another Dutchman, Jordi Altena, played a stray pass to Rapid’s Tonni Adamsen on 28 minutes, and Reus again had to make the save from the midfielder’s 20-yard shot. Although Hearts were attacking freely in a very open encounter, it was the visitors creating genuine openings.

They eventually took one on the half-hour mark. Seidl’s angled ball into the penalty area was met by centre-back Raux-Yao on the run for a glancing header which flew past the helpless Reus. A long VAR review ensued before the goal was confirmed, leaving Hearts chasing a deficit. Their own attacks too often broke down when the ball reached striker Landry Kabore, but they were nonetheless combining well inside the Rapid half.

One move ended with McPake’s 25-yard drive forcing Rapid goalkeeper Niklas Hedl down to his right. Claudio Braga then blasted an effort narrowly wide from distance, and Hedl saved again from Tom Renaud as half-time approached. Hearts’ best attacking weapon seemed to be McPake, whose running and crossing down the left troubled Bolla. Rapid’s lead at the interval put them in control of the tie and the hosts needed a response in the second half.

It arrived 10 minutes after the restart. For the first time in the game, Kabore linked well with a team-mate to send McPake scampering off down the left. The winger cut into the penalty box bearing down on goal and dispatched a shot which ricocheted off Raux-Yao before flying into the net. It was a crucial equaliser at a vital juncture. Tynecastle was now a far noisier place as a result.

The roof came off when Wilson put Hearts ahead. Minutes after replacing Kabore, the teenage Scot collected Braga’s head flick, took two touches and unleashed a raking 30-yard shot which roared high into the net. Wilson set off to celebrate without doubt the best goal he has scored for his childhood club. Only days ago he joked that he only seemed to score scrappy efforts at Tynecastle. This was the best way to remedy that issue.

Rapid had relinquished control but regained a foothold in proceedings with an equaliser on 79 minutes. The excellent Seidl slid a ball through the Hearts defence for substitute Nico Bajlicz to cut back for fellow replacement Wurmbrand to fire through Reus and into the net. That was a real sucker-punch for the Tynecastle side after their second-half effort. However, they proved they can trouble the current Austrian league-leaders and will endeavour to go one better next week.