New Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken's debut ended in a chastening 4-0 Champions League qualifying defeat to Sturm Graz.

The Jambos conceded set-piece goals early in each half and were caught twice more before the hour mark, leaving them with a "mountain to climb" for the second leg at Tynecastle.

Hearts missed two excellent chances and showed moments of good football, but defensive frailties, particularly from dead balls, were exposed. Debutants Calvin Miller and Malachi Fagan-Walcott were in the starting line-up. The club also changed set-piece coaches in the summer. Sturm Graz's goals came from Jon Gorenc Stankovic, Jeyland Mitchell, Luca Weinhandl, and Jurgen Heil. Hearts now look set to drop into the Europa League.

Vrancken, who left Sint-Truiden for Tynecastle, saw his side struggle against the Austrian outfit, with key players like Lawrence Shankland having departed.