Heidenheim keep survival hopes alive with crucial victory over St. Pauli
Goals from Budu Zivzivadze and Eren Dinkçi helped Heidenheim secure a vital 2-0 victory over fellow strugglers St. Pauli, keeping their slim survival hopes alive in the Bundesliga.
Heidenheim 2-0 St. PauliGoals: 1-0 Zivzivadze 3’ (assist: Schöppner), 2-0 Dinkçi 82’ (assist: Ramaj)
With the spectre of relegation looming, Heidenheim faced a must-win scenario against St. Pauli at the Voith-Arena. The match carried extra emotional weight for the hosts, who observed a pre-match minute's silence for Roger Prinzen, the club's youth academy head, who had unexpectedly passed away.
Defeat would have confirmed Heidenheim's return to the second tier after just two seasons in the top flight. Frank Schmidt's men entered the contest with the unwanted record of having failed to keep a clean sheet all season, while the visitors arrived with the league's most toothless attack, having scored just 26 goals in 30 matches.
Early strike sets the tone
Heidenheim signalled their intent immediately as Dinkçi forced a save from Nikola Vasilj within two minutes. The hosts' bright start paid dividends moments later when Zivzivadze poked home from close range following a scramble from the resulting corner. The Georgian striker's third-minute strike was the fastest in Heidenheim's Bundesliga history.
St. Pauli struggled to muster a coherent response, though they nearly levelled in the 24th minute when Andréas Hountondji broke through on goal only to be denied by a crucial stop from Diant Ramaj. The remainder of the half was a typical relegation battle affair – intense but with few clear chances as both sides battled nervously in midfield.
Ramaj stands firm before Dinkçi seals vital victory
The visitors showed greater intent after the break, with Danel Sinani firing narrowly wide in the 49th minute before Hountondji again tested Ramaj four minutes later. As St. Pauli pushed forward, spaces began to appear for Heidenheim to exploit.
The decisive moment arrived in the 82nd minute following a St. Pauli corner. Ramaj confidently claimed the ball and immediately launched a counter-attack with a precise ball to Dinkçi, who raced forward before cutting inside his marker and curling a superb finish past Vasilj.
The hosts managed the remaining minutes professionally to secure not only three vital points but also their first clean sheet of the season at the 31st attempt.
Man of the Match: Budu Zivzivadze
While Dinkçi's goal may have sealed the result, Zivzivadze was the driving force behind Heidenheim's crucial victory. The Georgian striker gave his side the perfect start with his early finish, but it was his tireless work rate that truly stood out.
Zivzivadze won 14 challenges – more than any of his teammates – despite being the most pressed player in the match, targeted 21 times by St. Pauli's defenders. His hold-up play provided a constant outlet for Heidenheim's defence, while his movement created space for others.
The striker's energy and determination epitomised the fighting spirit needed in a relegation battle, earning him a well-deserved Man of the Match award with 57% of the votes.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Heidenheim 1.24 - St. Pauli 1.18
Fastest player: Arkadiusz Pyrka (Pauli), 35.37 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 2-0 by Eren Dinkçi (Heidenheim), 14.17 per cent
Most pressed player: Budu Zivzivadze (Heidenheim), 21 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Adrian Beck (Heidenheim), +2.11
Fantasy Heroes: Diant Ramaj (Heidenheim, 360 Points), Eren Dinkçi (Heidenheim, 265 Points), Budu Zivzivadze (Heidenheim, 256 Points)
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