Team news: Rafael Borré is in the squad for the first time following his transfer from Eintracht Frankurt. He trained with the Green-Whites for the first time on Friday having been away during the international break.
Werder starting XI: Pavlenka – Jung, Stark, Pieper, Stage, Weiser, Kownacki, Schmid, Woltemade, Friedl, Groß.
Bench: Zetterer – Deman, Ducksch, Bittencourt, Veljkovic, Lynen, Njinmah, Borré, Rapp.
Heidenheim hit the front early
First-half highlights:
4th minute: Friedl’s foul awards Heidenheim a free-kick from a promising position. Beste’s attempt hits the arm of Jung in the wall and the referee points to the spot.
5th minute: Tim Kleindienst scores the penalty for Heidenheim.
10th minute: With Pieper and Pavlenka being put under pressure at the back, Pieper is forced to hoof the ball out to protect his goalkeeper. The hosts are looking buoyed by their early opener and the game is predominantly being played in Werder’s half.
13th minute: Woltemade attempts to play in Kownacki, but the ball doesn’t quite reach him. Weiser creates a chance on the right, but Müller has it covered for the hosts.
21st minute: The ball comes to Kownacki on the left. He tries to get a shot away, but loses his footing. Stage is then able to have a go from long range, but his attempt at an equaliser is also unsuccessful.
28th minute: Pavlenka dives to block a low cross, but can only parry the ball to Kleindienst on the penalty spot. He could shoot with defenders scrambling back to the line, but decides to cut onto his left and takes a heavy touch. He finally pulls the trigger from a tight angle but the ball flies over the crossbar and SVW breathe a sigh of relief!
30th minute: Kownacki is taken down in the box, but referee Ittrich denies his appeals for a penalty. At the other end, Dinkci fires another Heidenheim effort over.
43rd minute: Weiser puts in a high cross, but no one is able to get on the end of it. Heidenheim counterattack…
44th minute: …and double their lead in the dying seconds of the first half. Eren Dinkci leaves the Werder defence helpless and scores for the hosts.
Two goals for Werder aren’t enough
Second-half highlights:
49th minute: GOALLL! Marvin Ducksch’s penalty after a Heidenheim handball in the box is initially saved, but the striker follows up to get the Green-Whites back in contention.
52nd minute: Pieper plays an excellent ball into Schmid, who dances through the Heidenheim defence, leaving two defenders in his wake, before taking aim, but he misses by inches. Werder are really knocking on the door here!
62nd minute: Kleindienst fires towards goal following a corner, but the ball is blocked by a well-positioned Veljkovic. Deman clears the resulting corner.
64th minute: GOALLL! Mitchell Weiser equalises for Werder, rising highest to find the net with a header from Deman’s exquisite cross.
68th minute: Eren Dinkci responds quickly and punishes Werder with a third to give the home side their lead back.
71st minute: Brilliance from Pavlenka! A Heidenheim free-kick flies into the box and Pavlenka makes a dive to the bottom-left corner, tipping the ball around the post.
76th minute: Jan-Niklas Beste scores the fourth for the hosts, leaving Pavlenka helpless between the sticks.
90th minute +6: The final whistle blows and Werder are defeated 4-2.
Summary: SVW had expected Heidenheim to be a tough opponent, and the hosts definitely lived up to that. Although Ducksch and Weiser’s goals brought the Green-Whites back into the game, Heidenheim deservedly prevailed in the end and took home the three points.
Heidenheim hit the front early
First-half highlights:
4th minute: Friedl’s foul awards Heidenheim a free-kick from a promising position. Beste’s attempt hits the arm of Jung in the wall and the referee points to the spot.
5th minute: Tim Kleindienst scores the penalty for Heidenheim.
10th minute: With Pieper and Pavlenka being put under pressure at the back, Pieper is forced to hoof the ball out to protect his goalkeeper. The hosts are looking buoyed by their early opener and the game is predominantly being played in Werder’s half.
13th minute: Woltemade attempts to play in Kownacki, but the ball doesn’t quite reach him. Weiser creates a chance on the right, but Müller has it covered for the hosts.
21st minute: The ball comes to Kownacki on the left. He tries to get a shot away, but loses his footing. Stage is then able to have a go from long range, but his attempt at an equaliser is also unsuccessful.
28th minute: Pavlenka dives to block a low cross, but can only parry the ball to Kleindienst on the penalty spot. He could shoot with defenders scrambling back to the line, but decides to cut onto his left and takes a heavy touch. He finally pulls the trigger from a tight angle but the ball flies over the crossbar and SVW breathe a sigh of relief!
30th minute: Kownacki is taken down in the box, but referee Ittrich denies his appeals for a penalty. At the other end, Dinkci fires another Heidenheim effort over.
43rd minute: Weiser puts in a high cross, but no one is able to get on the end of it. Heidenheim counterattack…
44th minute: …and double their lead in the dying seconds of the first half. Eren Dinkci leaves the Werder defence helpless and scores for the hosts.