In an exciting match of the Bundesliga’s 20th round, Heidenheim suffered a narrow defeat against Borussia Dortmund, losing 3-2 despite a remarkable performance from Julian Niehues, who struck twice. The hosts faced early setbacks in the match, but their resilience shone through as they managed to equalize, though ultimately, it wasn’t enough to secure points.
Serhou Guirassy emerged as the standout player, netting two crucial goals for Dortmund. The other scorers for the visitors were Waldemar Anton and a penalty converted by Jobe Bellingham, showcasing a well-rounded offensive display. Heidenheim responded strongly with two goals from Niehues, which came at critical moments in the game.
Dortmund’s coach, Niko Kovac, implemented an aggressive 3-4-3 formation with Gregor Kobel guarding the net and a defensive line composed of Filippo Mané, Waldemar Anton, and Nico Schlotterbeck. The midfield featured Yan Couto and Felix Nmecha, supporting a front line that included Karim Adeyemi, Julian Brandt, and Guirassy.
On the other side, Heidenheim’s Frank Schmidt opted for a 3-5-2 setup, with Diant Ramaj in goal and a defense including Marnon Busch and Patrick Mainka. In midfield, Niehues was supported by Omar Traoré, Niklas Dorsch among others, while Marvin Pieringer and Mathias Honsak led the attack.
Referee Matthias Jöllenbeck officiated the match, ensuring a fair competition throughout the 90 minutes.
Looking ahead, Borussia Dortmund will face Wolfsburg in their next fixture, while Heidenheim will host Hamburg SV at the Voith Arena. Post-match, Dortmund stands second in the table with 45 points, whereas Heidenheim lingers at the bottom with just 13 points.
Substitutions for Borussia Dortmund
58’ 2T – Yan Couto out for Maximilian Beier; Jobe Bellingham out for Carney Chukwuemeka. 70’ 2T – Karim Adeyemi leaves the pitch for Fábio Silva. 93’ 2T – Serhou Guirassy replaced by Salih Ozcan.
Yellow Cards for Borussia Dortmund:
5’ 2T Waldemar Anton; 53’ 2T Gregor Kobel (Time-wasting).
Substitutions for Heidenheim
45’ 2T – Mathias Honsak out for Arijon Ibrahimovic; Filippo Mané out for Niklas Süle. 72’ 2T – Julian Niehues substituted by Jan Schöppner. 80’ 2T – Marvin Pieringer out for Sirlord Conteh; Omar Traoré out for Stefan Schimmer; Eren Dinkci out for Mikkel Kaufmann.
Yellow Cards for Heidenheim:
40’ 1T Mathias Honsak (Unsportsmanlike conduct); 19’ 2T Julian Niehues (Holding an opponent to prevent progression).