Heidenheim achieved a remarkable comeback to secure a 2-1 victory against Freiburg in the Bundesliga on matchday 13. The match, held at the Voith Arena, kept fans on the edge of their seats as Heidenheim turned the tide late in the game. The visiting team initially took the lead when Johan Manzambi scored in the 39th minute, leaving the home side trailing as they headed into the break.
However, Heidenheim came out strong in the second half, equalizing through Patrick Mainka in the 58th minute. Mainka’s goal was the result of a well-coordinated play that shifted the momentum back to the hosts. Just three minutes later, Heidenheim completed their turnaround, with a decisive shot that put them ahead 2-1 just after the 48-minute mark of the second half.
The standout player for Heidenheim was Stefan Schimmer, who not only played a key role in the team’s attack but also scored one of the crucial goals. Patrick Mainka also made his mark, contributing significantly as a defender with his important equalizing goal.
Heidenheim’s coach, Frank Schmidt, employed a 3-5-2 formation, starting with Diant Ramaj in goal, supported by Thomas Keller, Patrick Mainka, and Benedikt Gimber in defense. The midfield featured Marnon Busch, Jan Schöppner, Julian Niehues, Niklas Dorsch, and Jonas Fohrenbach, while the attack was led by Mathias Honsak and Marvin Pieringer.
On the other side, Freiburg, managed by Julian Schuster, utilized a 4-5-1 setup with Noah Atubolu in goal. Their defense comprised Lukas Kübler, Matthias Ginter, Philipp Lienhart, and Philipp Treu. The midfield was packed with Maximilian Eggestein, Patrick Osterhage, Jan Niklas Beste, Johan Manzambi, and Vincenzo Grifo, while Lucas Höler was the solitary forward up front.
Florian Exner officiated the match, which saw Heidenheim’s victory elevate them to a total of 11 points in the league, positioning them in 15th place. Freiburg, now with 16 points, remains in 9th place after the defeat.
For their next fixture, Heidenheim will travel to face FC St. Pauli, while Freiburg is set to host Borussia Dortmund.
Heidenheim Substitutions
45’ – Coming on: Arijon Ibrahimovic for Benedikt Gimber, Tim Siersleben for Thomas Keller, and Max Rosenfelder for Philipp Lienhart.
69’ – Coming on: Stefan Schimmer for Julian Niehues.
81’ – Coming on: Omar Traoré for Marnon Busch.
87’ – Coming on: Luca Kerber for Niklas Dorsch.
Heidenheim Yellow Card:
12’ – Thomas Keller (Unsporting behavior).
Freiburg Substitutions
66’ – Coming on: Yuito Suzuki for Johan Manzambi and Derry Scherhant for Vincenzo Grifo.
70’ – Coming on: Anthony Jung for Max Rosenfelder.
83’ – Coming on: Christian Günter for Lukas Kübler.
Freiburg Yellow Card:
42’ – Anthony Jung (Unsporting behavior).