The Conference League group campaign ended in defeat for Hearts.
Serdar Gurler and Youssouf Ndayishimiye scored in the first half.
Berkay Ozcan came on and slammed in three seconds.
The Edinburgh side, who were consigned to third already, competed well in a largely empty Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadium, and got a deserved goal through Nathaniel Atkinson.
RFS of Latvia and Basaksehir finished with the same amount of points, but Basaksehir had a better goal difference.
Despite being defeated by the section's big two, many Hearts fans will never forget.
The quality of the opposition from Turkey and Italy is better than what the Scots are used to, but they did little to help themselves defensively.
The shot by Okaka was skewed in the beginning. The shot was not taken seriously.
There was a corner with little over three minutes on the clock. While in space, Ndayishimiye was able to hit a head on the ball.
Half an hour later, the same thing happened. Gordon tried to clear the ball but only connected with Okaka. Gurler reacted first to collect the loose ball, turned inside, and hit a low shot beyond Toby Sibbick's outstretched hand.
Gordon produced an impressive double save moments later to reprieve himself and prevent Traore from scoring in the first half.
After the break, Hearts grew in confidence and the hope was that they would find a way to win the game.
Both were on the field less than a minute before Ozcan hit. Basaksehir counterpossessed the hearts in their own half. The substitute controlled the ball in the box with his first two touches and then rifled the ball into the net.
There was some reward for the hard work of Hearts. It was a goal made on the bench, with a parried shot falling perfectly for Atkinson to ram home.
The score was too much for Hearts. Heavy losses have been handed out in Europe, but they weren't as bad as in Istanbul. Even when they were behind, they played the ball with purpose.
Now that Europe is over, the impact that will have on their domestic tilt will be in the back of their minds. Thanks to the World Cup, there is a decrease in the number of games. A lot of injuries won't help.
The Tynecastle side will want to return next year. It could be possible to ensure that by getting through the last games before the break.
Motherwell will come to Tynecastle on Sunday with the focus for the rest of the season returning to domestic action.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
