Summary

  • Shankland converts from spot after RFS defender penalised for handball

  • Gordon makes three instinctive saves & Shankland spurns great chance

  • Forrest adds late second on break for Scottish side

  • Defender Halkett returns for Hearts but leaves field injured

  • Hearts lost opening Group A match 4-0 to Istanbul Basaksehir; RFS drew 1-1 with Fiorentina in Italy

Live Reporting

Clive Lindsay

  1. Eight changes as RFS Italian heroes return

    RFS v Heart of Midlothian (20:00)

    As expected, RFS head coach Viktor Morozs returns to all but one of the side that started their 1-1 draw with Fiorentina.

    Left-back Vladislavs Sorokins and midfielders Tomislav Saric and Stefan Panic were the only players to retain their places for Monday's 3-0 win over Spartaks Jurmala in the Latvian top flight and Morozs makes another eight changes from that game.

    Full-back Jovan Vlalukin keeps his place along with fellow Serb Stefan Panic, who joins Croat Tomislav Saric in midfield.

    However, it means there is only once change from the side that started in Florence, with Vlalukin replacing Sorokins, who drops to the bench.

  2. Memories of Dons' Skonto demise

    RFS v Heart of Midlothian (20:00)

    Look away now Aberdeen fans...

    Your team's 1994 Uefa Cup preliminary round exit at the hands of the now defunct Skonto Riga is often cited as one of the most embarrassing defeats experienced by a Scottish side in European competition.

    After a goalless draw in Latvia, Aleksejs Semjonovs opened the scoring for the visitors after 55 minutes and Paul Kane's equaliser in stoppage time was not enough to prevent Willie Miller's side exiting on away goals.

    The Dons did manage some revenge 20 years later when they thumped Daugava Riga 8-0 on aggregate and beat Ventspils 3-1 on aggregate in 2016, both in Europa League qualifying, but it is that Skonto defeat that is most remember.

    Skonto Riga celebrate at PittodrieSNS

    Skonto Riga celebrated at Pittodrie in 1994

  3. RFS not at 'home'

    RFS v Heart of Midlothian (20:00)

    Tonight's game isn't being played at RFS's new LNK Sporta Parks arena as it holds only 2,500 fans.

    Instead, the match has been moved to the home of city rivals Riga - the 8,087 capacity Skonto Stadium, 10km away on the other side of the Daugava River.

    Skonto Stadium, RigaSNS

  4. 'Getting Halkett back is a boost'

    RFS v Heart of Midlothian (20:00)

    Craig Levein
    Former Hearts manager on BBC Sportsound

    Getting Craig Halkett back in there is a real boost for Hearts. He adds some solidity to the backline

  5. LINE-UPS from Skonto Stadium

    RFS v Heart of Midlothian (20:00)

    Rigas Futbola Skola: Šteinbors, Jagodinskis, Stuglis, Lipušček, Vlalukin, Panić, Šarić, Mareš, Šimkovič, Ilić, Emerson Deocleciano.

    Substitutes: Černiauskas, Nerugals, Sorokins, Maksimenko, Rakels, Varslavans, Friesenbichler, Dubra, Zaleiko.

    Heart of Midlothian: Gordon, M Smith, Kingsley, Cochrane, Halkett, Devlin, Halliday, Grant, McKay, Ginnelly, Shankland.

    Substitutes: Stewart, Clark, Haring, Mackay-Steven, Forrest, Neilson, Sibbick, Henderson, C Smith, Humphrys, Pollock.

  6. Halkett returns from injury as Grant also starts

    RFS v Heart of Midlothian (20:00)

    Craig Halkett returns to Hearts' starting line-up for the first time since pulling up injured during last month's Europa League qualifier against Zurich.

    While he takes his place at the heart of defence, right-back Nathaniel Atkinson misses out after picking up an injury last time out against Istanbul Basaksehir.

    Jorge Grant returns from suspension after his red card in the second leg of the Zurich defeat and takes Peter Haring's place in central midfield, with the Austrian dropping to the bench.

    Alan Forrest was passed fit despite picking up a knock in Hearts' domestic defeat by Livingston, but he joins Haring among the substitutes as Josh Ginnelly starts on the wing.

    Hearts winger Josh GinnellySNS

    Josh Ginnelly starts on the wing ahead of Alan Forrest

  7. Tune in to Sportsound

    BBC Radio Scotland Extra/DAB/810MW

    Sportsound's coverage of tonight's game has just started on BBC Radio Scotland.

    Former Hearts manager Craig Levein is among those joining host Liam McLeod.

    BBC microphoneSNS

  8. Light at end of Euro tunnel?

    RFS v Heart of Midlothian (20:00)

    Despite Celtic and Rangers going a second week of Champions League games without a win, there was at least a little light at the end of the tunnel.

    Rangers have now lost 11 goals without reply after following 4-0 defeats by Celtic and Ajax with Wednesday's 3-0 loss at home to Napoli, but Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side were going toe-to-toe with the Serie A leaders until James Sands' 55th-minute red card.

    Meanwhile, Celtic, praised despite their own 3-0 home defeat by Real Madrid last week, were perhaps unfortunate not to edge their 1-1 draw away to Shakhtar Donetsk in Poland.

    Can Hearts go one better in Latvia?

    Celtic manager Ange PostecoglouSNS

    Ange Postecoglou picked up a draw in Poland

  9. Can Hearts end Scottish run without win?

    RFS v Heart of Midlothian (20:00)

    If Scotland is to avoid going two weeks of European group stage football without a win in six games, it is now down to Heart of Midlothian in Latvia.

    Robbie Neilson's side have, though, been left reeling by a string of poor results, culminating in last week's painful 4-0 home defeat by Instanbul Basaksehir in their Europa Conference League Group A opener.

    And they won't get it easy considering their hosts, Rigas Futbola Skola, held Serie A side Fiorentina to a 1-1 draw in Italy a week ago.

    Stay with us for the build-up, live commentary and post-match reaction on the website and BBC Radio Scotland.

    Europa Conference League flagSNS