Lawrence Shankland and Hearts’ misery is going hand in hand this season – and is a stark contrast to the success player and team enjoyed in the last campaign.
The striker’s free-scoring form booked him a ticket to Euro 2024 with Scotland and helped the Jambos cruise to third place in the Scottish Premiership.
But he has just one goal this season and with no-one else to pick up the slack, Hearts are above the Premiership’s bottom club Hibernian only on goal difference.
The Hearts fans who made the trip to Belgium will have been forgiven for thinking they had seen this programme before, as Shankland drew a blank and the rest of the team looked toothless despite enjoying 60% possession.
Efekele’s goal, at the end of a first half notable only for the amount of times the referee’s whistle was heard, summed up this season for the former Dundee United striker.
The right-footed midfielder – on loan from Monaco, which like Cercle Brugge is owned by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev – somehow dragged the ball inside Gordon’s left-hand post with a weak, scuffed shot.
In contrast, a brilliant instinctive backheel from Shankland agonisingly went past the post with home goalkeeper Maxime Delanghe looking beaten.
Shankland blew the perfect opportunity to end his drought and give Hearts a precious point when the home side were penalised for a handball but his wild effort flew a foot over the crossbar.
The 29-year-old had another chance to equalise moments later from a delightful cross from James Penrice but his glancing header went wide.
Magnee’s strike soon after emptied salt in Shankland’s wound and means the feel-good factor of Hearts’ opening two Conference League wins and the mini bounce new boss Critchley enjoyed are a distant memory.