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Match Report: Hearts 1-1 Benfica 13 August 2026 Hearts restored some European pride with a well-deserved draw against Portuguese giants Benfica. The Jam Tarts were unlucky not to win the UEFA Europa League Q3 second leg tie at Tynecastle Park after VAR ruled out Calvin Miller’s opener for the narrowest of offsides. The boys in maroon did eventually take the lead through a fantastic Tomas Magnusson strike, only to be immediately pegged back by Dodi Lukebakio’s equaliser. Head Coach Wouter Vrancken made two changes to the side that swept aside Dundee United last weekend. Stuart Findlay and Sabri Guendouz were handed starts with Sabah Kerjota and Amadou Ba-Sy making way. The Jambos started brightly but it was the visitors who enjoyed the game’s opening chances. Early on, John Duran blasted over the bar from just inside the box and not long after he found himself in a similar position, this time lashing an effort off the outside of Beau Reus’ right-hand post. It was then the boys in maroon’s turn to get on the front foot, enjoying a period of pressure deep inside the Benfica half, culminating in Guendouz cutting inside away from three white shirts before drilling low on target but straight at Samuel Soares. A well-worked corner routine saw Benfica nearly take the lead after the quarter hour mark. A series of feints saw the ball floated to the back door for Richard Rios to knock back towards goal but Reus got enough of a block on it to turn it behind. Benfica were a whisker away from breaking the deadlock after 23 minutes, following a devastatingly quick breakaway which saw Duran flicking the ball to the back door for the unmarked Georgiy Sudakov, but at full stretch he was inches away from connecting. The woodwork came to Hearts rescue on 25 minutes. Duran was able to pull off a shot that Reus did well to block with his legs, and the loose ball hung in the air for Amar Dedic to nod back towards goal, only to see it bounce back off the crossbar before Jamie McCart turned it behind. Reus was called into action again with three minutes remaining, getting down quickly to make a fine save to deny Andreas Schjeldrup’s shot from the edge of the box before getting two hands to the rebound before Duran kicked it out and took a tumble, but the flag went up for offside against the striker. The Jambos had their best chance of the game six minutes into the restart. A lovely ball was dinked through the middle for Guendouz to latch on to but he could only fire wide from inside the box. Guendouz was in the mix again moments later, winning a foot race to the ball inside the Benfica ball to get a touch but Soares was quick out to make the block. Hearts then cruelly had the opener snatched away by VAR. Josh McPake showed powerful running to get into the box before crossing for Miller to sidefoot into the back of the net, but VAR deemed McPake offside by the narrowest of margins. The Jambos kept up the pressure, with McCart meeting Spittal’s set piece delivery inside the box but his header was sent over the bar. With 13 minutes remaining, the Jam Tarts got the goal they richly deserved. A combination of substitutes saw Sabah Kerjota find Landry Kabore inside, he teed up Magnusson who blasted into the bottom corner of the net from distance. Football can be cruel, however, and a minute later Benfica restored parity through Lukebakio’s strike. Reus made a late save from Barreiro as the game finished all square, with Benfica advancing in the Europa League thanks to their substantial lead from the first leg in Lisbon. Next up for the Jambos is a Premier Sports Cup tie against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Tynecastle on Sunday, before hosting Rapid Vienna in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League play-off round next Thursday. Hearts: Reus, McCart, McEntee, Miller (Wilson, 74’), Braga (Kabore, 74’), Renaud (Magnusson, 64’), McPake, Spittal ©, Findlay, Guendouz (Kerjota, 74’), Altena. Subs: Fulton, Kamson-Kamara, Gillies, Ba-Sy. Benfica: Soares, Lenglet © (Araujo, 45’), Barrenechea (Barreiro, 64’), Sudakov (Prestianni,64’), Lukebakio (Kaminski, 79’), Silva, Dedic, Rios, Schjelderup (Rafa, 79’), Duran, Neto. Subs: Trubin, Bah, Pavlidis, Dahl, Indio, Banjaqui, Figueiredo. IN OTHER NEWS Hearts Women Season Tickets on Sale now 25 July 2026 Jambos Jackpot: The Official Hearts Lottery 23 July 2026