Edinburgh | Hearts impress against Vallecano as pre season prep continues
Hearts 2 - 1 Rayo Vallecano
Hearts produced an accomplished performance to beat La Liga side Rayo Vallecano
Author | Matt W
Stadium | Tynecastle
Marking 140 years in Gorgie, Amadou Ba-Sy stole the headlines with two first-half headers on his debut, while last season's UEFA Conference League finalists reduced the deficit after the interval through Sergio Camello.
A closer look at what happened
The visitors almost made the perfect start after five minutes when Joshzua Vertround slipped Etienne Eto'o into the penalty area, but Alex Schwolow reacted sharply to make an excellent block.
Hearts quickly settled into the contest. Stephen Kingsley's free kick picked out the unmarked Oisin McEntee at the far post, but from close range he could only head over the crossbar.
Kingsley remained influential, delivering a corner to the far post for Josh McPake to loop back across goal, only for Alexandre Zurawski to clear off the line.
Ba-Sy was causing problems throughout the opening stages, using his strength to turn away from his marker before driving forward and testing Daniel Cardenas from distance, although the goalkeeper gathered comfortably.
The striker should have opened the scoring after 14 minutes when McEntee's cross found him unmarked in the middle, but he dragged his effort wide from 10 yards.
Ba-Sy made amends four minutes later. Kingsley combined neatly with McPake, whose inviting cross was met by the French forward, who guided a header into the far corner to put Hearts ahead.
Hearts almost doubled their lead on the half-hour when McPake's corner found MJ Kamson-Kamara, whose header beat Cardenas but crashed against the crossbar.
The second goal arrived on 34 minutes. Claudio Braga switched play brilliantly to Christian Borchgrevink, who delivered an inviting cross for Ba-Sy to power another header into the bottom corner.
Neil Critchley's side were playing with confidence. Tom Renaud weaved through midfield before slipping Braga in, but Cardenas pushed away his effort before Kamson-Kamara headed the resulting corner wide.
Hearts continued to create chances before the break. Borchgrevink's through ball sent Renaud clear, but Cardenas again came to Rayo Vallecano's rescue with another strong save.
Moments later, McEntee's cross found Braga, whose header was comfortably gathered by the goalkeeper.
At the other end, Schwolow produced the save of the night on the stroke of half-time, diving full stretch to tip Pedro Diaz's 25-yard free kick away from the top corner.
Hearts made four changes at the interval, introducing Sabri Guendouz, Rogers Mato, Tomas Magnusson and Yan Dhanda in place of Ba-Sy, McPake, Renaud and McEntee.
Guendouz made an immediate impact, gliding past defenders before threading Mato through on goal, but the Ugandan failed to make a clean connection and Cardenas saved.
A loose pass then handed Rayo Vallecano an opening, with Camello attempting to catch Schwolow off his line from 35 yards, but the goalkeeper recovered well to prevent the goal.
The visitors' error moments later almost proved costly as Braga drove towards the penalty area before flashing a shot narrowly wide.
Borchgrevink then picked out Magnusson on the edge of the area, but his ambitious effort sailed over.
Rayo Vallecano reduced the deficit on the hour when Camello's strike took a heavy deflection, looping over Schwolow and into the net.
Hearts responded well. A slick passing move ended with substitute Alexandros Kyzridis exchanging passes with Magnusson before curling narrowly over the crossbar.
The Spanish side pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages, but Hearts defended resolutely and remained the better side for much of the evening, securing an encouraging victory ahead of next week's Champions League qualifier away to Sturm Graz.
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