Hearts' spell of pressure ends with a booking as Alex Cochrane sticks an elbow in the face of Jovan Vlalukin as his opposing full-back tries to start a counter attack.

Hearts threaten this time.

Josh Ginnelly picks the ball up 18 yards out and the winger's raking drive forces a superb fingertip save from goalkeeper Pavels Steinbors.

Craig Levein
Former Hearts manager on BBC Sportsound in Riga

RFS are so close to an early opener.

Emerson Deocleciano is found by a fine crossfield ball, turns Hearts right-back Michael Smith inside out and the Brazilian forward fires a powerful drive off the junction of post and bar.

Warning signs already for Hearts!

Macedonian referee Aleksandar Stavrev gets the game under way, with Hearts kicking off in their change white strip and RFS in their usual all blue.

Allan Preston
Ex-Hearts defender on BBC Sportsound

Time is ticking closer to kick-off as the teams emerge from the tunnel into a packed little stadium in Riga.

Allan Preston
Ex-Hearts defender on BBC Sportsound

RFS have had a rapid rise to the top of the Latvian league considering they were only established in 2011.

Five years later, they were promoted to the Virsliga when Skonto failed to obtain a license and last year won their national title for the first time - completing a league and cup double.

RFS played in the Europa League qualifiers for the first time in 2018 and did not win their first European two-legged tie until beating Faroese side KI Klaksvik three years later.

This time, though, they have taken care of the champions of Malta and Northern Ireland to reach a European group stage for the first time - and record that surprise draw away to Fiorentina a week ago.

RFS head coach Viktor Morozs says Hearts play a different style of football than anything they are used to in Latvia.

"I even checked the statistics and, for example, Hearts have about 200 challenges per game and we don't have any team in Latvia that has stats like that," he said.

"They run a lot, they are strong with the diagonal passes, they make a lot of runs, they are aggressive and are good at crosses. They are a very good team and it's going to be really hard against them."

Image source, SNS

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson says defender Craig Halkett hasn't trained much, but he suggests playing him is worth the gamble.

"There's always a risk putting guys in who haven't trained a lot," he tells BBC Scotland.

"But we've missed a bit of stability in defence. We've lost Kingsley, Rowles, Halkett, Smith. We're getting them back now."

Pointing out the commanding height of some of the RFS players, Neilson adds: "Although he's not 100% fit, Craig will still bring experience and physicality to the team.

"We've got 2,000 Hearts fans out here who expect us to put on a performance and win. We're going 4-3-3 with two wingers and put crosses in the box, attack it with Shankland."

Image source, SNS

Former Hearts full-back Allan Preston has been pointing out that Fiorentina had 73% possession and missed a host of chances as they were held to a draw by RFS.

But it appears that last week's result was no fluke considering the Latvians are unbeaten in their latest 10 outings since Super Nova, currently bottom of the Virsliga, uncorked the champagne following a surprise 3-2 away win at the start of August.

They only narrowly exited the Champions League qualifiers as they lost to HJK Helsinki via a penalty shoot-out after winning their home leg 2-1.

They then squeezed through to the Conference League group stage after a 3-1 win away to Hibernians after the Maltese champions held them to a first-leg draw before edging out Northern Ireland's Linfield following another penalty shoot-out.

Monday's 3-0 win at home to Spartaks Jurmala, which keeps them third in the table, seven points behind leaders Valmiera, came despite Viktor Morozs resting eight players who started in Italy.

Craig Levein
Former Hearts manager on BBC Sportsound in Riga

Derek Ferguson
Former Hearts midfielder on BBC Sportsound

Their weekend Premiership meeting with St Mirren having been postponed after the death of Queen Elizabeth, this is Hearts' first outing since last week's bruising 4-0 thumping at home to Istanbul Basaksehir.

They have now lost six of their last seven games, the exception being a narrow 3-2 win at home to St Johnstone at the end of August.

Indeed, they have not won in any of their four trips away from Tynecastle this season and have not won in six away games since beating Dundee United 3-2 in April, losing the latest three.

Image source, SNS

Viktor Morozs' RFS squad is peppered with experienced Latvian internationals, including goalkeeper Pavels Steinbors and centre-half Vitalijs Jagodinskis.

But it is a 22-year-old Serbian striker who is currently their main goal threat. Andrej Ilic has scored 20 times in 33 games this year, including one in each of his last two outings.

Kevin Friesenbichler, formerly of Austria Vienna and Sturm Graz, and Deniss Rakels, the Latvia cap who has 10 goals from 22 games this year, add to their firepower from the bench.

Meanwhile, Kilmarnock fans might remember Latvia centre-back Vitalijs Maksimenko from a short spell on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion six years ago and he is also among the substitutes.

Image source, PA Media

Allan Preston
Ex-Hearts defender on BBC Sportsound