Stewart off as Hearts lose opener

ALAN PATTULLO
AFTER his side collected 11 red cards last season, the last thing Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo wanted to be discussing after the first match of the new campaign was yet another red card.
But Michael Stewart's 52nd minute sending-off was the main talking point as Hearts kicked off the season with a 2-0 defeat at Dundee United. A double from debutant Danny Cadamarteri sealed the win for the home side, but they were helped by yet another case of Hearts impinging on their own chances of success.

Stewart's red card was especially disappointing given its needlessness, and the fact he was only appointed skipper earlier this month. It means both captain and vice-captain are suspended for this weekend's clash with Rangers at Tynecastle, with Marius Zaliukas also absent. Both, however, are free to play in Thursday night's Europa League qualifying clash with Dinamo Zagreb.

Stewart will retain the armband, after being handed a vote of confidence from his manager last night. Laszlo did concede that the midfielder had been foolish, however. Both bookings were earned for unnecessary fouls in the middle of the park, with the second one coming following a heavy challenge from behind on Scott Robertson.

Laszlo acknowledged that this second misdemeanour had not been very clever. "Especially if you are an experienced player," he added. But he did not blame Stewart for the defeat.

"It will be handled internally, not in the media," he said. "It's my duty to protect my players. It was not because of Michael Stewart that we lost the game. We lost the game together. We must win the next game together.

"The second one was an unlucky yellow card," he continued. "But the referee decided to give it. We cannot take it back. It would have been different if Michael had punched someone for his red card.

"At the moment I blame no-one, not the referee, not Michael Stewart. If you ask 20 people, 18 will tell you it was not necessary to give the second yellow card."

Laszlo was more concerned with his club's heavy schedule this week. They board a plane to Zagreb today and then are due back in the country in the early hours of Friday morning, ahead of Sunday's clash with Rangers at Tynecastle. "That is my biggest problem right now," he said. "I am very unsatisfied."

United manager Craig Levein praised Cadamarteri for his two goals on his competitive debut for the side. The striker claimed them near the start and end of the 90 minutes, with the opener coming from the spot after just four minutes. His second arrived five minutes from the end, and clinched victory for United on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the opening of Tannadice Park.

"It's a while since he scored 20 goals in a season," said Levein of Cadamarteri. "His work-rate is exceptional, and he led the line well. For his height he is good in the air too.

"He's a strong guy – you would not want to get in a fight with him. We needed an experienced striker, and he will do a good job for us." Levein also singled out Danny Swanson, who was a thorn in Hearts' flesh until substituted midway through the second-half. He won United the third minute penalty, after a badly-timed challenge from Eggert Jonsson, and also drew Stewart into the challenge which saw the Hearts player collect his first booking.

"Danny's been a bit of a maverick in the past," said Levein. "But his positioning in the field was something that pleased me tonight. It was his best game for us."

Taken from the Scotsman