Hearts hammered in Croatia

The Edinburgh outfit were completely outclassed by the Croatian champions, who all but finished their Europa League play-off tie inside an hour of the first leg at the Maksimir Stadium.

Goals from Mario Mandzukic, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Ivica Vrdoljak and former Liverpool midfielder Igor Biscan put Dinamo within touching distance of the group stage ahead of next week's return match.

It could have been even worse for the visitors, who looked clueless throughout as their slick opponents created and missed chance after chance.

As feared, the pitch was in terrible condition, having been relaid 48 hours earlier following a U2 concert.

Two Dinamo players soon lost their footing on the sandy surface but Pedro Morales showed great balance to help lay on the fifth-minute opener, nutmegging Ruben Palazuelos before feeding Jorge Sammir on the right touchline. The winger's deep cross was completely misjudged by Marian Kello, allowing Mandzukic to prod home at the far post.

A second goal was looking inevitable and it arrived in the 36th minute courtesy of a comedy of errors. Ismael Bouzid nodded a Mandzukic knockdown straight to Vrdoljak, whose follow-up was parried by Kello to Papadopoulos for the simplest of finishes.

With 50 minutes gone, Hearts finally had an attempt at goal, Suso Santana's near-post strike pushed behind by Tomislav Butina.

In the 56th minute, Vrdoljak delivered the coup de grace, curling a beautiful finish beyond Kello after a swift counter.

Christian Nade was withdrawn for Gary Glen before Eggert Jonsson deflected Mandzukic's goalbound shot over. But the respite was brief as the unmarked Biscan headed in the resulting corner, the tie looking over before the hour mark.