1. FC Heidenheim crashed SV Werder Bremen’s belated birthday party. Six days after the 125th anniversary of the traditional Hanseatic club, the Bundesliga newcomer dampened the mood on Saturday with a 2-1 (2-1) draw at the Weserstadion.
In front of 41,000 spectators and numerous football legends in Werder’s history, Lennard Maloney (12th minute) and Jan-Niklas Beste (18th) scored for the strong Heidenheimers. Romano Schmid (19th) kept the party spirit going with his connecting goal. With the win, Heidenheim climbs to eighth place in the table for the time being.
There was already plenty of entertainment in the stadium before kick-off. The club celebrated the special birthday with the fans – the founding date is February 4th, 1899. Numerous Werder legends such as Ailton, Diego and Max Lorenz were invited as guests, and the fans showed a huge choreography before kick-off.
The spectators – with the exception of the guest block – put on green and white plastic ponchos and presented various banners. A banner showed the greatest successes in the club’s history. Despite all the celebrations, fans from both camps protested in the second half with banners and chants against the German Football League’s (DFL) investor decision.
The Werder professionals started the game bravely with loud support and three wins in a row. Marvin Ducksch played a through ball to Jens Stage (4th), who went around Heidenheim’s keeper Kevin Müller and hit the left post of the empty goal from a tight angle.
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Heidenheim then found his way into the game. Maloney headed a corner from former Bremen’s Beste to take the lead. Shortly afterwards, Bremen loanee Eren Dinkci evaded his pursuers on the left wing. Werder’s goalkeeper Michael Zetterer couldn’t safely parry Dinkci’s shot, but Beste scored in the middle to make it 0-2.
Anyone who expected a birthday party to be ruined early was wrong. Werder replied immediately. Senne Lynen played a high cross to the second post, where Romano Schmid, who is only 1.68 meters tall, ran in and headed it in for the goal.
The “Werder” sports club from Bremen from 1899 is 125 years old. : Image: dpa
As a result, an open game developed, which, accompanied by loud Bremen fan chants, repeatedly offered offensive highlights. Heidenheim impressed with his speed and physicality, Werder tried to get in front of the visitors’ goal with long balls. Heidenheim’s Tim Kleindienst (38th) put a header just wide of the goal after a corner, Bremen’s Ducksch (51st) was unable to control a ball in a promising position after the break. Bremen became more powerful in the final phase.
Substitute Rafael Borré (77th, 80th) first failed at the post and shortly afterwards because of the tight Heidenheim defense. Ducksch (86′) couldn’t get past keeper Müller with a powerful shot. Substitute Dawid Kownacki (90+1) hit the left post with a header.
