Raith Rovers vs Heart Of Midlothian

Vrancken made 11 changes from the side that lost 4-0 to Sturm Graz three days earlier, using the Kirkcaldy fixture to build match fitness across his squad. The first half ended goalless, with neither side able to create a clear opening — a predictable outcome given both teams were still building towards full sharpness.

Mato, introduced at the interval, provided the decisive moment three minutes from time. The Ugandan forward capitalised on a short backpass, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home to give Hearts a win their second-half performance barely merited on the balance of chances.

The short backpass that gifted Mato his chance was the only defensive lapse of the night. Until that moment, Raith Rovers had held firm against a rotated Hearts side that lacked the rhythm of its first-choice XI. The error punished an otherwise disciplined Raith defensive display and handed Hearts a result that felt slightly fortunate.

Rogers Mato (Hearts) — Man of the match. Introduced at half-time and scored the winner with a composed finish after reading the backpass early. The 45-minute run-out sharpened his match fitness ahead of the new season.

Zander Clark (Hearts) — The Hearts goalkeeper kept a clean sheet. While not severely tested, his distribution and command of the box offered reassurance to a rotated backline featuring several fringe players.

Raith Rovers defence — The home side's back four limited Hearts to few clear chances before the error, a positive sign for their upcoming Scottish Championship campaign.

The match followed a typical pre-season pattern: a goalless first half, mass substitutions, and a late winner. The 0-0 at half-time reflected two teams still finding their rhythm. Hearts' xG (estimated) was heavily weighted towards Mato's chance — the short backpass created a high-quality opportunity that the Ugandan converted. Raith Rovers will be encouraged by their defensive organisation but will want greater attacking output in their remaining pre-season fixtures.

For Hearts, this was a fitness-building exercise after the 4-0 Champions League qualifying defeat to Sturm Graz. Vrancken learned little about his first-choice XI, but the minutes logged by fringe players and Mato's late winner offer marginal positives. The bigger test comes on Tuesday when Hearts host Sturm Graz at Tynecastle, needing to overturn a four-goal deficit.

For Raith Rovers, a narrow defeat against a Scottish Premiership side provides a useful benchmark. They will take encouragement from a disciplined defensive display as they continue their pre-season preparations.

A forgettable pre-season friendly saved by a moment of individual quality. Mato's sharp finish was the difference between a 0-0 draw and a narrow win, but neither side will read much into the result. Hearts' focus now shifts firmly to Tuesday's Champions League return leg.