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Hearts denied ‘stonewall’ penalty vs Trabzonspor as Michael Stewart aghast over ‘absolutely incredible’ call

The former Hearts midfielder has reacted to a possible penalty that his ex-side could have been awarded.

Edinburgh News

Published: Friday, 23 October 2026 at 7:00 AM

Key Things to Know

Michael Stewart labeled a denied penalty for Claudio Braga as 'stonewall' during Hearts' defeat against Trabzonspor.
Trabzonspor defeated Hearts 2-0 following goals from Mo Salah and Franculino.
Hearts defender Craig Halkett agreed that Melih Kabasakal fouled Braga inside the penalty box.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Former Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart strongly criticized the decision not to award Hearts a penalty in their 2-0 Conference League loss to Trabzonspor. Stewart argued that a challenge by Melih Kabasakal on Claudio Braga inside the box was a clear foul that officials cleared too quickly.

Hearts fell behind to a penalty from Mo Salah before Franculino doubled Trabzonspor's lead in Turkey. Hearts defender Craig Halkett agreed with Stewart's assessment of the incident, while Stewart noted positive aspects from Wouter Vrancken's injury-hit squad ahead of their upcoming match against Motherwell.

Read the full article on Edinburgh News