1. FC Heidenheim has missed the first Bundesliga point in its history: On the second matchday, FCH lost 2:3 (1:0) against TSG Hoffenheim in Baden-Württemberg and lost a two-goal lead.
Heidenheim put in a courageous and convincing performance against Hoffenheim, who were only strong in the closing stages. Jan-Niklas Beste, who had previously missed a hand penalty (16th minute), scored from a free kick (26th). Marvin Pieringer followed up with a header following a corner kick (58′) and gave FCH a two-goal lead. Maximilan Beier (77′) and Pavel Kaderabek (80′) initially equalized with a double strike before Andrej Kramaric (90′) scored the late Hoffenheim winner.
Great anticipation for the historic game in Heidenheim
The game against TSG Hoffenheim was 1. FC Heidenheim’s first home game in its young Bundesliga history. The anticipation in and around the club was huge. FCH started with three new players: Denis Thomalla, Beste and Omar Traore slipped into the starting line-up for Adrian Beck, Marnon Busch and Florian Pick. With the guests from Hoffenheim celebrated summer newcomer Wout Weghorst his Bundesliga starting eleven debut.
Heidenheim had the first chance of the game. After a corner kick by Beste, attacker Tim Kleindienst headed just wide of the Hoffenheim goal to the left (2′). TSG had their first goal in the eighth minute, but attacker Ihlas Bebou’s shot went over the opponent’s goal.
TSG keeper Baumann saves a penalty from Beste
A short time later, events took a turn for the worse: Kleindienst extended a cross from Beste from the left half-field, and Hoffenheim’s Marius Bülter blocked the ball. The video referee then intervened. After looking at the pictures, referee Robert Hartmann decided on handball from Bülter and a penalty for Heidenheim. However, Beste failed because of the strongly reacting TSG keeper Oliver Baumann (17th).
Baumann was there again just a minute later and parried a shot by Kleindienst from around eleven meters (18′), which had been served by Beste. The conclusion of last year’s Heidenheim top scorer was too central.
Beste puts the FCH in front
The FCH was now on the trigger, the lead overdue. Consequently, Heidenheim went in front in the 26th minute. Beste circled a free kick from the half right into the left corner of the Hoffenheim goal – a real artistic shot and that deserved to make it 1-0. The first Bundesliga goal in the history of 1. FC Heidenheim.
Hoffenheim acted incorrectly on the defensive, the team of coach Pellegrino Matarazzo hardly played offensively in the first half hour. After falling behind, the Kraichgau team increased their offensive efforts, but did so uninspired and uncreatively. Instead, Heidenheim could have followed suit. In the 34th minute, the energetic best shot from around 20 meters just over the TSG goal. After that, not much happened in the first half, with the home side having a narrow lead, it went into the dressing rooms.
Kramaric’s free kick hits the crossbar
Heidenheim also got off to a better start in the second half. After Thomalla’s assist, Kleindienst headed just wide of the Hoffenheim goal (48′). But TSG also played more structured forwards. In the 52nd minute, Andrej Kramaric’s free kick from the left edge of the penalty area touched the crossbar of the FCH goal – the only real chance for the guests up to that point.
Pieringer heads the 2-0
Hoffenheim was now taking over the game more and more, but Heidenheim also allowed it – because it was lurking for a counterattack. After such a game, TSG keeper Baumann made a strong save against a 16-metre shot by Pieringer (57′). After the following corner by Beste, the guest goalkeeper was powerless: Pieringer extended the ball into the far corner to make it 2-0 for Heidenheim.
After that, Hoffenheim opened up even more, which gave the home side more chances to counterattack. Eren Dinkci could have made it 3-0 with a little more consistency (62′), but played a cross pass instead of completing it himself. This was finally clarified by the Heidenheim defense. In the 72nd minute, Lennard Maloney failed after Dinkci’s shot from distance at Baumann, Hoffenheim’s best.
In the final phase, Hoffenheim threw everything forward – and events took a turn for the worse. After a cross from substitute Tom Bischof, Maximilian Beier, who was also a substitute, reduced the deficit to 1:2 from close range (77th). And it got even worse for FCH: A shot from the post by Finn-Ole Becker landed on the back of Heidenheim keeper Kevin Müller – and from there the ball bounced at Kaderabek’s feet, who scored to make it 2-2.
In the 90th minute, Tim Siersleben fouled Beier – and TSG were awarded penalties. Kramaric pushed in coolly to make it 3:2 for the guests. That was also the final score, because a shot by FCH defender Patrick Mainka was scraped off the line in added time.
Heidenheim missed the first point in their Bundesliga history, but they already had their first victory in sight. The guests from Hoffenheim celebrated their first win of the season. On the first day of the game, the Kraichgau lost to Freiburg at home.
1. FC Heidenheim – TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2: 3 (1: 0)
1. FC Heidenheim: K. Müller – OH Traoré (90 + 2 Schimmer), Mainka, Siersleben, Föhrenbach – Maloney – Dinkci (78 K. Sessa), Thomalla (90 Dovedan), Best – Pieringer (78 Schöppner ) – Kleindienst TSG Hoffenheim: O. Baumann – Kabak (64th Beier), Brooks (53rd Vogt), Akpoguma – Kaderabek, Grillitsch, Bülter (52nd Skov) – Prömel (64th FO Becker), Kramaric – Bebou (74th T. Bishop), Weghorst
Referee: Robert Hartmann (Wangen im Allgäu) Spectators: 15,000 (sold out) Goals: 1-0 Best (26th), 2-0 Pieringer (58th), 2-1 Beier (77th), 2-2 Kaderabek (81st .), 2: 3 Kramaric (88./penalty kick) Special incidents: O. Baumann (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim) saves a hand penalty from Beste (1. FC Heidenheim) (16.)
