Conference League playoffs
Bitter mistake: Heidenheim misses round of 16
Updated on February 20, 2025 – 9:30 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
What a gripping European Cup evening in Heidenheim. The decision is only made – in favor of the guests from Denmark.
This defeat really hurts. The 1. FC Heidenheim dramatically missed the round of 16 in the Conference League. The team of coach Frank Schmidt lost in the second leg against the favorite FC Copenhagen in front of 12,336 spectators with 1: 3 after extra time. After the 2-1 win in the first leg, this was not enough for the Bundesliga club for the move into the last 16.
Copenhagen’s Chiakha had equalized the gap from the first leg shortly before the break (37th). Heidenheim came out of the cabin very badly, collected the 0: 2 by DICS (53.) by foul, which was given in the view of the video images. Föhrenbach had previously fouled Gocholishvili.
Afterwards the FCH woke up and won two top -class opportunities. First Copenhagen’s goalkeeper Ramaj (borrowed from BVB) scraped a header from Zivzivadze from the line (62.). A few minutes later, Pieringer ran towards the guest goalkeeper alone, turned it over, but did not put the ball in the goal because a hurried defender of the Danes could clarify the shot in front of the line (68.).
So a standard situation had to be found to make the connection. The recently substitute Leonardo Scienza fled a free kick from a half -left position from around 18 meters with right over the wall into the mesh (74.). The much acclaimed 1: 2, which meant the extension after Scienza again missed the decision in the final minute. His left-hand shot landed on the post, then flew to Ramaj’s back and from there into the goal out (90th).
In the extension, the decision was made after a coordination error in Heidenheim’s defensive when the ball seemed to be clarified. Copenhagen’s Huescas used this six minutes before the end to the KO for the home team (114th). Bitter: The renewed goal by Pieringer, who would have meant the penalty shootout, was not recognized by referee Dabanovic (Montenegro) due to handball (118.).
Heidenheim’s European trip ends dramatically. The FCH could have made a premiere with the progress. So far, no Bundesliga club has made it round of the top 16 in the Conference League, which has been held since the 2021/22 season. In the round of 16, Copenhagen is now dealing with the English top club FC Chelsea or Vitoria Guimarães from Portugal. The draw will take place on Friday.