Hearts' hopes of Conference League progression now rest on their final league-stage match against Moldovan side Petrocub, after "their limitations were exposed" in a lacklustre defeat in Copenhagen.

Second-half goals by Amin Chiakha and Kevin Diks secured a deserved win for the Danish league leaders, who climb above Hearts in the table.

Copenhagen dominated possession from the start and their impressive pressing kept the visitors penned in their own half.

Neil Critchley's side struggled to have any kind of influence in the first half, and were fortunate to go into half-time level after James Penrice denied former Celtic winger Mohamed Elyounoussi a tap-in with a crucial intervention.

However, their defensive efforts were undone just minutes into the second period.

Diks danced his way into the Hearts box, found Elyounoussi and, after his effort was saved by Craig Gordon, Chiakha swept home from close range.

There was a quick VAR check for offside, but the goal stood.

"It was a bad goal and a bad moment," Critchley told BBC Scotland. "For him to travel as far as he did unchallenged was poor from our point of view."

Gordon then kept Hearts in the contest with two sharp saves, but Copenhagen were awarded a penalty after the veteran Scotland keeper was deemed to have fouled Chiakha following a VAR intervention.

Diks sent Gordon the wrong way from the spot and, given Hearts failed to have a single shot on target in the game, the result was never in doubt from that point.

"They were the better team, they deserved to win but, at 1-0 you're waiting for that moment and a poor decision took that away from us," Critchley added.

"I don't at all think it's a penalty. It's a natural coming together, you can't make players disappear. Both players get a touch on the ball. It was a really bad decision."

Hearts must now beat Petrocub next Thursday at Tynecastle to guarantee their place in the Conference League play-off round.

Critchley promised not to park the bus against a team he described as the strongest Hearts have faced in Europe this season.

However, the Gorgie side struggled to get out of their own half in the opening 45 minutes, and were second best to the Danes in every department.

The plan was clearly to use Lawrence Shankland's hold-up play and Kenneth Vargas' pace to get up the park, but Copenhagen dealt with Hearts' front two with ease and launched attack upon attack, with Penrice's superb tackle keeping it goalless.

The early concession in the second half undermined the battling work in the first 45, and from there, Copenhagen upped the pace further.

Gordon got down to his left to keep out a close-range Thomas Delaney header and just moments later sprung to his right to deny Chaikha, who looked certain to add his second after Hearts were opened up all too easily.

The visitors did finally have a shot on the hour mark, but Cammy Devlin's deflected effort was closer to the corner flag than the Copenhagen goal.

There was only one side who ever looked likely to add to the scoreline, and the hosts did so late on after Chiakha went to ground having collided with Gordon.

The Hearts goalkeeper got a touch on the ball, but was deemed - perhaps harshly - to have fouled the young striker.

Diks calmly dispatched the spot kick to ensure victory in a totally one-sided contest.

Critchley now has four wins from 12 in charge of Hearts, and go to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday before their meeting with Petrocub.

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley: "You just have to hold your hands and say the better team won. They were the best team we've played in this competition - that was evident on the pitch.

"We came with the plan to try and have a go, but when you're playing against very technical players, it's hard to pick those moments when to go and when we did, they picked us off which can then unnerve the players."

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon: "I'm very frustrated by the penalty decision because it kills the game, it was game over at that stage.

"We have to take it one game at a time. We're in a position where we need to pick up points in the league so we'll head down to Kilmarnock trying to win the game and then look forward to an all or nothing attempt at Tynecastle next Thursday."