Braga 2-2 Hearts

Levein reveals Hearts' spur

Mark de Vries returned to the starting line-up to inspire Hearts to a superb 5-3 aggregate victory over Braga to reach the Uefa Cup group stage.

The Dutchman took a pain-killing injection to play and the gamble paid off as he scored twice.

Joao Tomas put Braga ahead when he lobbed Craig Gordon from a tight angle.

But De Vries equalised when he took advantage of a defensive slip-up before hitting a second from 25 yards. Jaime equalised late on for Braga.

Needing at least two goals to progress, Braga started positively and Gordon was forced into a good early save down at his near post when Jaime tried to deceive him from a free kick.

Then, moments later, Kenedy fired just over from a tight angle.

Hearts' first effort on goal came in the 10th minute when Phil Stamp tried to catch Paulo Santos by surprise with a first-time effort on the volley from the angle of the box, but the keeper held it well.

But the Portuguese side got the early goal they were looking for just two minutes later.

From a free kick on the right, the ball came off the head of Andy Webster and from almost on the goal-line beyond the back post, Joao Tomas lobbed the ball over Gordon and into the net.

Hearts came within inches of an equaliser after 19 minutes when the ball fell to Robbie Neilson 10 yards out only for his shot to be deflected wide.

Mark de Vries is mobbed by delirious team-mates

But Hearts did draw level after 27 minutes when Paulo Jorge misjudged a header back to his keeper and De Vries nipped in to knock the ball past Paulo Santos and into the net.

Hearts survived a penalty claim 10 minutes before half time when Paulo Jorge's shot came off the arm of Jamie McAllister, but the referee ruled it was unintentional.

Jaime fired a free kick just wide and Gordon did well to hold shots from Wender and substitute Castanheira as Hearts kept the scores level going into the interval.

Hearts assured themselves of a place in the group stage just three minutes into the second half when De Vries powered his way through the Braga defence before firing a left-foot shot low past Paulo Santos.

Webster headed a Paul Hartley free kick narrowly wide as Braga's heads began to drop.

Nonetheless, Gordon was called upon twice in the 74th minute to keep out good efforts from Castanheira and Paulo Sergio.

Neilson was forced to bail out his keeper, clearing Baha's header off the line but Braga's equaliser did come when Jaime nudged the ball over the line from a corner.

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Braga: Paulo Santos, Paulo Jorge, Nem, Jorge Luiz, Paulo Sergio, Joao Tomas, Jaime, Kenedy (Castanheira 44), Wender (Cesinha 68), Abel (Baha 60), Vandinho.
Subs Not Used: Marco, Barroso, Nunes, Costa.

Booked: Kenedy, Joao Tomas.

Goals: Joao Tomas 12, Jaime 77.

Hearts: Gordon, Maybury, Webster, Pressley, Kisnorbo, McAllister, Neilson, Stamp (Pereira 84), Hartley, MacFarlane, de Vries (McKenna 78).
Subs Not Used: Moilanen, Wyness, Hamill, Berra, Stewart.

Booked: McAllister, Stamp, de Vries, MacFarlane.

Goals: de Vries 27, 47.

Att: 13,007.

Ref: Anton Stredak (Slovakia).