Liam Boyce reveals the one European chance still haunting him and why he wants Hearts to knock Rosenborg out

Flashbacks to 12 months ago still haunt the Hearts striker Liam Boyce. When your entire season collapses inside a few days, memories persist no matter how thoroughly you try to erase them. Boyce’s wasted header proved costly in the Europa League play-off against FC Zurich last August. Then, three days later, the Northern Irishman ruptured his cruciate ligament against St Johnstone.

He is now recovered and desperate to experience a proper European adventure after watching last season’s Europa Conference League group stage from the stand. Boyce knows that header from Alan Forrest’s cross against Zurich looked easier to score than miss, and still regrets nodding it down into the ground and over goalkeeper Yanick Brecher’s crossbar. The moment still lives rent free in his head. This week is a chance to atone.

Rosenborg visit Tynecastle Park for the second leg of the Europa Conference League third qualifying round this Thursday carrying a 2-1 advantage from the first meeting in Trondheim. Boyce is eager to play from the start competitively for the first time since that knee injury, and attend to his own European aspirations in the process.

“That’s what I want more than anything now. For me that was the hardest thing about last year,” he admitted. “When you’re watching the league games you know that you’re ages away but you don’t get the chance to play in European group stages that much so we need to realise what an opportunity it is. I definitely want to get back in because I didn’t get the chance last year.”

An early goal would get a full Tynecastle bouncing and seriously test the Norwegians’ resolve. “It’s like the Zurich game last year when we ended up going out [of the Europa League],” recalled Boyce. “I missed a header and if we had gone 1-0 up I think we would have battered them. We need that same start and that same positive energy going into the game. We need to get forward and cause them problems because once you get chances you can hear the roar coming and that just keeps you going. If I get another header, hopefully if I will score it this year.