In the first Baden-Württemberg duel at Bundesliga level, 1. FC Heidenheim retained the upper hand against VfB Stuttgart 2-0 (0-0) on Sunday (November 5th, 2023).
In front of around 15,000 spectators in the Arena on the Ostalb, Jan Schöppner (70th minute) scored his first Bundesliga goal and Tim Kleindienst (90th + 4) scored the goals of the day. Heidenheim avoided their fifth competitive defeat in a row and moved slightly clear of the relegation zone with ten points. VfB (21) remains third in the table despite the defeat.
Strong rescue act from Gimber
In the second game without the injured top scorer Serhou Guirassy (14 goals), Stuttgart dominated the opening phase in uncomfortable autumn weather. VfB had a great chance to take the lead in the seventh minute. After a nice deep pass, Silas Katompa Mvumpa circled around FCH goalkeeper Kevin Müller in the penalty area, but at the last moment Bundesliga debutant Benedikt Gimber tipped the ball off his foot just before the line.
Schöppner’s header hits the crossbar
Heidenheim didn’t back down and became more and more aggressive offensively. Schöppner (17th) was unlucky in the five after a corner from Jan-Niklas Beste with a header that hit the crossbar. Heidenheim showed a different face than when they lost the cup in Mönchengladbach during the week and continued to look for their opportunities.
Heidenheim Opportunities Festival
After almost half an hour, Heidenheim pushed energetically for the lead in a real festival of opportunities. A shot from Eren Dinkci (29′) in the penalty area, Waldemar blocked Anton at the last moment, and Anton just managed to deflect Schöppner’s second attempt from ten meters to the corner with his leg. Just three minutes later, the Stuttgart central defender was once again the focus. Dinkci tried a pass into the box, where Kleindienst and Beste were lurking freely, Anton saved again.
Crossbar hits on both sides
Heidenheim continued to stress VfB. Silas blocked a shot from Stiller (33′) just in front of the goal line, and VfB goalkeeper Alexander Nübel deflected a header from Beste shortly afterwards over the crossbar. Stuttgart hardly had any relief attacks – except in the 38th minute Angelo Stiller hit the crossbar with a free kick from 20 meters on the right. It continued with aluminum, this time on the opposite side: Gimber (43′) only hit the crossbar with his head from eleven meters after a corner.
FCH recorded 13:6 shots on goal in the first half with only 36 percent possession of the ball – Stuttgart’s problems with spatial defense were obvious, even though FCH was unable to capitalize on them.
Silas chases the penalty over the goal
The many missed opportunities seemed to take revenge for Heidenheim in the 57th minute. After Patrick Mainka knocked Anton down in the penalty area, VfB rightly received a penalty. Silas stepped up, but sent the penalty well over the goal.
As a result, the game flattened out compared to the first round. Heidenheim continued to leave the game to Stuttgart. Then there was another standard situation: After Beste’s corner, Schöppner was there and overcame VfB-Keeper Nübel from a short distance.
Dramatic final phase
Would Stuttgart come back again? At first it didn’t look like that in the dramatic final phase. Heidenheim fought self-sacrificingly and was unlucky enough to not be able to increase the result with another hit on the crossbar (90′) after a cross.
But it became even more dramatic from Heidenheimer’s point of view. Stuttgart substitute Luca Raimund (90.+2) placed the ball on the lower edge of the crossbar from three meters after a cross from the right. Gimber cleared the follow-up shot from substitute Jamie Leweling off the line. Kleindienst finally saved Heidenheim’s salvation in the fourth minute of added time with a wonderful long-range shot from the center circle.
Heidenheim in Munich, VfB against Dortmund
Both Heidenheim and Stuttgart have strong opponents in front of them next matchday. The team Coach Frank Schmidt will face FC Bayern away (Saturday, November 11th, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). At the same time, Stuttgart is challenged at home against BVB.