A 2-2 after a dramatic injury time saved Werder in the relegation from the first Bundesliga relegation since 1980. Heidenheim struggled with an early own goal.
The encouraging message had been produced by employees and fans of SV Werder: “We believe in it. For Werder for each other” was written in capitals on those supporters’ posters that had found a place in the Heidenheim Arena. Closing ranks apparently also helped Bremen to maintain his Bundesliga status at Brenz: With a hard-fought 2: 2 (1-0) in the relegation second leg at 1. FC Heidenheim, the green-whites – after a goalless first leg – crashed in League two prevented.
A former Bremen man under the floodlights on the Schlossberg made a decisive contribution: Norman Theuerkauf, between 2003 and 2007 for Bremen in the youth and second team on the ball, produced a fateful own goal (3rd) before the Heidenheim striker Tim Kleindienst with his equalizing goal an exciting final phase began (85th). In injury time it was again turbulent: first Ludwig Augustinsson put the Bremen in the lead (90. + 4 – again assisted Theuerkauf), then equalized small service by penalty (90. + 6). After that, it was immediately over.
“If you see what a season we had, how difficult it was from the start, it’s a really, really big relief,” said Werder captain Davy Klaassen at Amazon Prime. His coach Florian Kohfeldt was still noticing the tension when he said at DAZN: “I am just happy and happy that we made it. We were dead so many times. Fucking season, good end.” Heidenheim’s coach Frank Schmidt, on the other hand, summed up: “We had a great chance, we are extremely disappointed.”
The biggest game in the club’s history could still have an aftermath for the host on the Ostalb: the hygiene and safety concept did not provide for several dozen people to appear in the stands in the middle of the second half. The Heidenheim entourage with sirens, pans and other percussion instruments really did everything they could to make up for the missing audience.
Spectators sit illegally on the stands in Heidenheim for a short time.
(Photo: AFP)
The game had started optimally for the guests with good grip from the start: less than three minutes were played, when Theuerkauf was so free to achieve the Bremen lead when trying to clear the edge of the box. No Werder striker could have put the fabulous left shot into the corner better. Patrick Mainka defiantly called to his fellow Heidenheim teammates: “Never mind! Let’s go!”. But after nine minutes, the Hanseatic team had more chances than in the entire first leg: Milot Rashica checked goalkeeper Kevin Müller with a long-range shot (8th), then the goalkeeper got a header from Davy Klaassen (9th).
Trainer Florian Kohfeldt had said about the all-or-nothing game in the province: “These are the days when history is written, and that’s what you dream of as a child.” The Bremen, however, increasingly relinquished control of the game in the middle of the first season, without the home side, who started with their club legend Marc Schnatterer, making any money. The Bremen chain of four, in front of which Kevin Vogt gave the clearer, was not embarrassed even without its boss Niklas Moisander. This time, the Heidenheim team led by long-term coach Frank Schmidt looked haphazard and perplexed in their offensive efforts.
Before the second half, the “AC / DC” classic “Hells Bells” boomed over the Schlossberg – in addition David Otto and Stefan Schimmer came into play. Schimmer promptly checked the under-employed Werder goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka (46.). But the people of Bremen realized that they would get into trouble if they only practiced passivity. Milos Veljkovic did not get through, Ludwig Augustinsson (58.) and Josh Sargent (59.) failed with well-played Werder opportunities due to the strong goalkeeper Müller. What was later to take revenge: When Tobias Mohr slammed the ball on the crossbar, Kleindienst provided late hope for Heidenheim. But with the 2-1 win by Augustinsson, presented by Fin Bartels, the Bremen team practically threw the anchor that was used by Hamburger SV in 2014 and 2015. The renewed compensation of small service no longer hurt.
At Werder, everyone is well advised not to sweep up their failures after a “bad season” (Kohfeldt). The fact that the delegation left the same night to return home via Nordholz / Cuxhaven Airport spoke volumes: Heidenheim is said to have been a one-time trip. The next few days are due to work on how it could have happened. Personnel consequences in the committees are not to be expected: Klaus Filbry as Chairman of the Management Board and Marco Bode as Chairman of the Supervisory Board had previously expressed their willingness to remain. Now that the cup of descent at the club has passed again, nothing will change. At Werder Bremen you stand with each other. Not just on the fence in Heidenheim.
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