1. FC Heidenheim secured a win against SC Freiburg at the end of the year – also thanks to the unlucky Matthias Ginter. Heidenheim winters ten points ahead of the relegation zone.
Thanks to a Freiburg own goal in stoppage time, 1. FC Heidenheim won 3-2 against SC Freiburg at the end of the year. Lucas Höler put the Breisgauer team in the lead twice (7th and 64th/foul penalty). But Eren Dinkci (52′) and Tim Kleindienst (84′) were able to equalize twice before Matthias Ginter made the decision in stoppage time.
After the win, Heidenheim is in ninth place with 20 points and is ten points ahead of the relegation zone. “I’m super happy and super proud of what the team pulled off here today,” said Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt in an interview with SWR Sport. Freiburg winters in eighth place with 24 points.
Freiburg superior, Heidenheim overwhelmed
Both teams went into the game hoping to end their strong year with a win. Heidenheim with the first approach to the goal. But Marnon Busch’s free kick from the edge of the penalty area flew a few centimeters past Noah Atubolu’s goal (6th). But Freiburg showed its efficiency in return: Ritsu Doan sent Merlin Röhl straight down the right wing. He broke through on the outside line and played a precise pass to Lucas Höler. And the 29-year-old gave Freiburg a 1-0 lead with his fourth goal of the season.
Freiburg then left the ball to Heidenheim and counterattacked. However, Heidenheim was overwhelmed with the game design and often tried long balls, making it easy for the Sport Club defense to defend their own goal. The hosts were able to become dangerous again via a standard: Eren Dinkci circled the corner right onto Tim Kleindienst’s head. Heidenheim’s striker headed the ball from about five meters straight into Atubolu’s arms. Freiburg went into the break with a deserved 1-0 lead.
Heidenheim with the quick equalizer
In the second half, Heidenheim came out of the locker room better and equalized with a successful move: Tim Kleindienst caught the Freiburg defense unsorted, moved inside and passed it to Eren Dinkci, who was rushing along. The 22-year-old Werder loanee gave Atubolu no chance and shot the ball into the top corner with power and precision to equalize 1-1 (52′).
In direct return, Röhl could have given Freiburg another lead. However, his shot from 16 meters was too central and therefore not a problem for Kevin Müller in the Heidenheim goal. A lively game developed in which both teams pushed for the lead without much ado. However, the attacks were often too imprecise in their final phase to really pose a goal threat.
Ginter’s own goal shocks Freiburg and redeems 1. FC Heidenheim
That only changed after more than an hour when Roland Sallai cleared Doan in the penalty area. The Japanese hit another hook around Heidenheim defender Benedikt Gimber, who had no other choice but to get Doan off his feet. Höler converted the penalty to give the sports club a 2-1 lead (64th). Heidenheim pushed for the equalizer.
Substitute Kevin Sessa initially failed (69′), but did better a little later and served Kleindienst in the penalty area, who only had to push in. “We never gave up and came back despite being behind twice,” said Schmidt. “The team believes in itself.”
In the final phase, both teams pushed for the winning goal – with a happier ending for Heidenheim. Omar Haktab Traoré asserted himself robustly on the edge of the penalty area, crossed inside, where Matthias Ginter maneuvered the ball into his own goal in his attempt to clear the score to make it 3-2. “We have had an incredible year of football. And to win against Freiburg again today is outstanding,” said Schmidt.
After the winter break, 1. FC Heidenheim will be guests at 1. FC Köln (Saturday, January 13th, 3:30 p.m.). SC Freiburg welcomes 1. FC Union Berlin at the same time.
