Hearts secured a 2-1 victory over Arbroath in a pre-season friendly at Gayfield on Monday night, with new signing Sabri Guendouz catching the eye ahead of their Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz next week.
Match Summary
Landry Kabore opened the scoring for Hearts just before the hour mark, heading home from Calvin Miller's corner. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead shortly after coming off the bench, slotting home from 16 yards after being played through by Sabah Kerjota. Arbroath pulled one back moments later when Yan Dhanda's attempted header back to goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow inadvertently set up Andy Winter, who scored from the edge of the box. Hearts eased to victory, with Harry Milne and Kerjota wasting chances to extend the lead.
Guendouz Impresses on Debut
Hearts fans got their first glimpse of £850,000 forward Sabri Guendouz, who joined from Belgian side Beerschot. The fleet-footed Frenchman started in the attacking midfield role behind Kabore and was constantly on the move, dropping deep to get involved and playing between the lines. His driving run forced the corner from which Kabore scored the opener, and he later forced a save from Jordan Pettigrew and had a half-volley blocked before half-time. According to Record Sport, Guendouz's non-stop style looks perfect for the 'chaos ball' that manager Wouter Vrancken was known for in his homeland.
Vrancken's Tactics Take Shape
Hearts lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Alexander Schwolow in goal, Jordi Altena, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Jamie McCart, and Harry Milne in defense, Oisin McEntee and Blair Spittal in midfield, Guendouz pushing forward, Calvin Miller on the right, Kyziridis on the left, and Kabore leading the line. The starting XI is likely close to what will face Sturm Graz next Tuesday, with Claudio Braga and Stuart Findlay also expected to start after coming off the bench. Tomas Magnusson could be an addition to the midfield after being rested.
Defensive Solidity
Malachi Fagan-Walcott, signed from York City, looked comfortable in possession despite the dry surface and produced important clearances to deny Gavin Reilly and Mikey McKenna. The 6ft 2in defender also posed a threat at set pieces. Harry Milne, who took the armband with Craig Halkett out until the new year, covered plenty of ground and forced a diving save with a long-range effort. According to Record Sport, Milne has the connection with the fans and would be a popular choice to replace Lawrence Shankland and Craig Gordon as captain.
Looking Ahead
Hearts now face Europa Conference League runners-up Rayo Vallecano on Friday in a final pre-season test before their Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz next Tuesday. The match at Gayfield also served as a testimonial for Arbroath player-boss Colin Hamilton, who made 371 appearances for the club over two spells and received a standing ovation when he was substituted on the hour mark.
