Heidenheim stun Freiburg with late winner
Stefan Schimmer scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Heidenheim boosted their survival hopes with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Freiburg.
Heidenheim 2-1 Freiburg
Goals: 0-1 Manzambi 40' (assist: Treu), 1-1 Mainka 59' (assist: Busch), 2-1 Schimmer 90'+4
Fresh off their dramatic stoppage-time victory against Union Berlin last week, Heidenheim entered this match against Freiburg looking to continue their momentum and climb further away from the relegation zone.
The visitors, meanwhile, were aiming to build on their impressive 4-0 thrashing of Mainz and improve their disappointing away record, having won just one of their six road games this season.
Manzambi punishes wasteful hosts
Heidenheim started brightly despite Freiburg dominating possession in the early stages. The hosts had the first clear opportunity when Mathias Honsak broke through on goal in the 20th minute, but the forward dragged his effort wide of the far post.
Ten minutes later, Honsak was presented with another golden chance after Matthias Ginter slipped, but again he couldn't find the target. These misses proved costly as Johan Manzambi put Freiburg ahead against the run of play in the 40th minute.
The midfielder received a pass from Philipp Treu on the edge of the box and his shot took a significant deflection before nestling in the bottom corner.
Mainka sparks Heidenheim comeback
Frank Schmidt made two attacking changes at half-time, bringing on Tim Siersleben and Arijon Ibrahimović, which signalled Heidenheim's intent. After weathering some early Freiburg pressure, including a close-range effort from Beste that rolled just wide in the 55th minute, the hosts found their equaliser in the 59th minute.
Marnon Busch delivered an inviting cross from the right and Patrick Mainka arrived unmarked to volley home from close range. The goal energised Heidenheim, who began pushing forward with renewed belief as momentum shifted in their favour.
Schimmer strikes again in stoppage time
As the match entered its final stages, both teams made attacking substitutions in search of a winner. Heidenheim introduced Stefan Schimmer in the 70th minute, while Freiburg brought on Yuito Suzuki and Derry Scherhant.
With the match seemingly heading for a draw and six minutes of added time announced, disaster struck for Freiburg in the 94th minute. Anthony Jung's attempted back pass went horribly wrong, landing perfectly for Schimmer, who rounded Noah Atubolu before sliding the ball into the net.
The goal sent the Voith-Arena into raptures as Heidenheim secured their second consecutive victory with a late winner, lifting them out of the automatic relegation places.
Man of the Match: Patrick Mainka
Patrick Mainka delivered a captain's performance for Heidenheim, scoring the crucial equaliser that changed the momentum of the match. Beyond his goal, the defender was imperious at the back, making several crucial interventions and displaying excellent positional awareness.
His pass efficiency rating of 4.09 was the highest of any player on the pitch, highlighting his contribution to Heidenheim's build-up play. Mainka also showed leadership throughout, rallying his team after falling behind and driving them forward in search of the winner. His all-around display earned him the highest Fantasy Manager points total (276) of any player in the match.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Heidenheim 2.22 - Freiburg 1.09
Fastest player: Max Rosenfelder (Freiburg), 34.55 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-1 by Johan Manzambi (Freiburg), 3 percent
Most pressed player: Marvin Pieringer (Heidenheim), 21 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Patrick Mainka (Heidenheim), +4.09
Fantasy Heroes: Patrick Mainka (Heidenheim, 276 Points), Marnon Busch (Heidenheim, 172 Points), Mathias Honsak (Heidenheim, 169 Points)
Related news
Who's your Bundesliga captain in 2025/26?
Some skippers are set in stone, others have yet to be decided - so just who will lead your team out in the coming campaign?
Which defenders should you pick in Fantasy?
Bolster your team at the back and aim for big points next season!
Patrick Mainka: Mr Ever-present
Heidenheim's captain has achieved something few others have, and now sits alongside a Bayern legend in the Bundesliga history books.