Despite a long output, VfB Stuttgart wins out against 1. FC Heidenheim and jumps far forward.
VfB Stuttgart prevailed on Sunday (October 5th) in a torn and struggle that was shaped by 1-0 against 1. FC Heidenheim. In the 65th minute, Bilal El Khannouss made a deliberate right shot from the distance into the far corner for the goal of the day. The victory for the playfully disappointing hosts was okay because the FCH defended passionately, but remained almost invisible on the offensive.
Duel of the two currently serving the Bundesliga coaches
The duel of VfB Stuttgart and the 1. FC Heidenheim was also the duel of the two -long coaches in the Bundesliga. Sebastian Hoeneß has been on the bench at VfB since April 2023, and his FCH counterpart Frank Schmidt has been in office at the Ostalb club since September 2007.
Stuttgart that opposite The 0: 2 bankruptcy in the Europa League at FC Basel competed with three new players, was against deeply standing and lurking Heidenheimer (a change opposite 2-1 against FC Augsburg) Superioration from the start. VfB also had the first major chance of the game: after a long throw-in from Lorenz Assignon, Badredine Bouanani ran from Halbrechts alone to the FCH goal, but put the ball past the long corner (6th).
VfB Stuttgart is too cumbersome
Stuttgart continued to have a lot of ball afterwards, but it was not productive, but mostly ended in the back and forth of the play equipment. Since national player Angelo Stiller had been rotated onto the bench by Coach Hoeneß, the sparkling ideas were missing. The hosts acted too static and were partly on their feet. After around 20 minutes, the guests had their first dangerous ending, but Mikkel Kaufmann failed due to VfB keeper Alexander Nübel (21st). On the other hand, Jamie Leweling from around 16 meters (24th) moved away, his shot stroked past the Heidenheimer Tor on the left. There would have been a lot more in there, especially since two teammates had run along.
Michael Bollenbacher, Sportschau, 05.10.2025 6:15 p.m.
With 0-0 it goes into the half -time break
The game was not really going until the half -time break. VfB acted too cumbersome and without Esprit, except for degrees from the distance, the DFB Cup winner was unable to create any danger. For Heidenheim, the game ran as desired: the FCH stood deep, defended it safely and lurked on counterattack. “I think we were very compact and forced many ball losses where VfB was unclean,” said Heidenheim’s captain Patrick Mainka. “Unfortunately, we didn’t play our own counterattacks either.” So it went into the break.
In the second half at first the same picture: VfB could not, Heidenheim was content with the recipe that was proven from the first half of standing deep and lurking on the counter. In the 56th minute, VfB coach Hoeneß had seen enough-he changed three times and brought Stiller, Ameen Al-Dakhli and Tiago Tomas for Karazor, Jaquez and Bouanani. A little later Stuttgart’s defender Jeff Chabot made an offensive sign of life with a long-range shot, but FCH keeper Diant Ramaj was on hand.
Bilal El Khannouss breaks the spell
After almost an hour, VfB increased the pace, now there was more movement in the game of the home side. And that promptly paid off: after a pass from Maximilian Mittelstädt, El Khannouss came to the ball at the penalty area. The Moroccan pulled inwards, lay down the ball and turned flat to the right corner (65.). Heidenheim’s goalkeeper Ramaj no longer came. It was already the third goal that he scored in this way, “then it can no longer be a coincidence,” said coach VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß in an interview with SWR Sport. The goal scorer himself spoke of instinct: “I just try to make the best decision, and I succeeded today.”
Now Heidenheim had to open, which in turn opened Stuttgart rooms. VfB pressed the second goal, but still acted too imprecisely in the third of the attack and always tried it from a distance.
Heidenheim threw everything forward with a final offensive, but remained too harmless, so it ultimately remained for VfB with a narrow 1-0 home win. “In the end we speak of a deserved victory that actually has to be higher,” said Hoeneß. “We have to protect our nerves in which we show more efficiency. But in the end I’m proud of the team.”
In the footsteps of Christoph Daum
Thus, VfB also won its third home game of the new season at zero – which the Swabian was last in 1991 under coach Christoph Daum. At that time, the traditional club won the championship at the end of the season – now it can look forward to at least twelve points and fourth place in the table. The Hoeneß team continues on October 18th. With the guest performance at VfL Wolfsburg (3:30 p.m.).
Heidenheim now remains on a relegation zone with three points from six games. The Ostalb team expects Werder Bremen (October 18, 3:30 p.m.) after the international break.
Prize on Sun., 5.10.2025 9:45 p.m., SWR Sport, SWR
