Hearts fined £4000 by UEFA for Liverpool 'pitch invasion' following goal

Stewards watch the Hearts fans after the opening goal against Liverpool.© SNS Group

Hearts have been fined £4000 by UEFA after two supporters spilled out of the stand after the team took the lead against Liverpool at Anfield.

David Templeton’s opening strike in the Europa League play-off second leg sparked wild scenes in the Hearts section of the support, with a pair of fans leaving the enclosure during the celebrations.

The governing body took a dim view of the encroachment and on Friday issued a fine of €5000 to the Edinburgh club.

A statement issued by UEFA read: "Heart of Midlothian FC have been fined €5,000 by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body for ‘pitch invasion by supporters’ at last month's UEFA Europa League play-off second-leg match at Anfield Road between Liverpool FC and the Scottish club."

The goal had levelled the tie on aggregate before a Luis Suarez goal three minutes from time handed victory to the Merseyside club.

Hearts later handed “indefinite bans” to the two fans who ran on to the Anfield pitch during the team’s Europa League tie against Liverpool.

In a statement released on Friday, the club said it was reacting to UEFA’s decision to fine them for the supporters’ behaviour.

A club spokesman said: "The vast majority of the thousands of Hearts supporters who made the journey to Liverpool behaved impeccably, and in fact they drew glowing praise from the Merseyside police authorities for the manner in which they enjoyed the occasion.

"However, we cannot condone fans running on to the pitch during a match, no matter the circumstances, and as such we are dealing with the guilty parties as strongly as we can and that will include handing out indefinite bans for them at Tynecastle Stadium."

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