Heidenheim stun Union Berlin with dramatic late comeback win
Heidenheim scored twice in the final five minutes, including with the last action of the game, to come from behind and defeat Union Berlin 2-1 at the Stadion an der Alten Försterei.
Union Berlin 1-2 Heidenheim
Goals: 1-0 Khedira 43' (assist: Ansah), 1-1 Schimmer 90' (assist: Traoré), 1-2 Schöppner 90'+5 (assist: Ibrahimović)
The fixture pitted two teams in contrasting form against one another. Union entered the match on a three-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga, having picked up a win and two draws, while bottom-placed Heidenheim arrived in the capital without an away point all season.
Despite their poor form, history favoured Heidenheim, who had never lost to Union in their previous 10 competitive fixtures, including doing the double over the Berliners last season.
The opening phase of the match was quiet both on and off the pitch, with fans from both sides refraining from chanting for the first 12 minutes in protest against potential new stadium security measures. The first significant chance came in the 10th minute when Mathias Honsak struck the crossbar for Heidenheim.
Union responded through Derrick Köhn, whose volley flew over the bar. Just as the first half appeared to be heading for a goalless conclusion, Union took the lead in the 43rd minute. Ilyas Ansah held the ball up well before laying it off to Rani Khedira, who fired a powerful right-footed shot into the near corner from inside the box.
The second half saw few clear-cut chances as Union looked to protect their lead. Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt made a triple substitution in the 57th minute, bringing on Arijon Ibrahimović, Stefan Schimmer and Jan Schöppner in an attempt to change the game. The hosts appeared comfortable but, with the match entering its final stages, the earlier substitutes turned the game on its head for Heidenheim.
In the 90th minute, Heidenheim equalised when Omar Haktab Traoré made a move down the right and crossed for Schimmer, who swept home at the near post. With Union still reeling, the visitors completed their stunning comeback five minutes into stoppage time when Ibrahimović's corner was headed in by Schöppner, securing Heidenheim's first away win of the season.
Man of the Match: Rani Khedira
Despite ending up on the losing side, Rani Khedira delivered an influential performance for Union. The midfielder scored his second goal in as many games with a powerful strike into the near corner to give his side the lead. Khedira was a commanding presence in midfield throughout, winning crucial tackles and distributing the ball efficiently.
His importance to the team was underlined by the fact that he recorded the second-highest fantasy manager points (211) for Union. Khedira's goal came from an xG value of just 0.1368, demonstrating his clinical finishing in a match of few clear-cut chances.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Union 0.72 - Heidenheim 0.67
Fastest player: Derrick Köhn (Union), 34.53 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 1-2 by Jan Schöppner (Heidenheim), 7.32 percent
Most pressed player: Marvin Pieringer (Heidenheim), 15 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Marnon Busch (Heidenheim), +1.82
Fantasy Heroes: Diogo Leite (Union, 259 Points), Rani Khedira (Union, 211 Points), Jan Schöppner (Heidenheim, 204 Points)
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