New Hearts coach Wouter Branken endured a nightmare debut as he looked to end his side’s Champions League chances with a 4-0 defeat against Sturm Graz.
Hearts lost a set-piece goal in the early stages of the first half and conceded two more during a furious spell before the hour mark.
The visitors missed two golden opportunities and played well in the first half, but they still have a mountain to climb ahead of the second qualifying round tie at Tynecastle next Tuesday.
Hearts will advance to the Europa League where they will face either Benfica or Swiss side St Gallen, while the winner of this tie will almost certainly face either Fenerbahce or Gornik Zabrze.
Vrancken gave up a chance at guaranteed Europa League football with Sint-Truiden and sent their manager to Rangers, replacing Tynecastle’s Derek McInnes with key players Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin.
The Belgian named two debutants in his starting line-up – wide player Calvin Miller and centre-back Malachi Fagan-Walcott – while in central defense Jamie McCart was preferred to Stuart Findlay, one of Hearts’ key players last season.
Hearts also changed their set-piece coach, with Ross Grant replacing Liam Ross following his move to Celtic in the summer.
Set plays were one of the team’s strengths in their unlikely title challenge, but they looked vulnerable to dead balls overall.
Despite a promising start with Harry Milne making a save, Hearts conceded inside four minutes from a long throw. Jon Gorenc Stankovic ran away from his marker and headed home past McCart.
Graz striker Seedy Jatta went wide of the goal following a corner, and Alexander Schwolow, selected despite an imminent move to Mainz, blocked the effort with his foot.
I feel better. Claudio Braga made a save with a decent effort and Landry Kabore fired a shot straight at the goalkeeper from 10 yards after a fine goal from Oisin McEntee. Aleksandros Kyziridis soon missed a better chance when he threw the ball wide following good play from Braga.
The referee awarded a penalty to the Austrians for a very harsh handball decision against Milne and overturned the decision after looking at his VAR monitor.
Graz dominated the early stages of the second half, with Jayland Mitchell nodding in from close range after a corner in the 50th minute. Schwolow seemed more interested in pushing the attacker away than dealing with the Inswinger, Kabore misjudged a flight and Mitchell waved off Braga’s attention.
Luca Weinhandl netted Milne’s third goal three minutes later after the Hearts defense missed several chances to mount crucial challenges.
Shuwolov stood motionless in the 59th minute when Emran Soglo curled the ball inside the far post and Jurgen Heil had enough time and space to convert the return pass.
Graz seemed content with four and Hearts were unable to salvage a lifeline.
McEntee mangled a free header, McCart failed to trouble the keeper on a series of headed opportunities and Tom Renaud twice fired from 22 yards.
