Heidenheim cruise to perfect start in pre-season with 12-0 thrashing
1. FC Heidenheim 1846 rounded off their fourth pre-season friendly with a commanding 12-0 (6-0 at half-time) victory over SGM Langenau. Frank Schmidt’s side delivered a dominant display under sunny skies and scorching temperatures as they remain unbeaten in pre-season action.
What happened on the pitch?
Niklas Dorsch opened the scoring in the 10th minute – the first of many chances as Heidenheim carved open the Bezirksliga defense. By half-time, the score stood at 6-0, and the floodgates opened further after the break. Yannik Wagner made it 0-7 in the 46th minute, before Jan Schöppner completed his hat-trick to seal the 12-0 win in the 85th.
Heidenheim have now played four of their five pre-season fixtures ahead of their training camp in Natz-Schabs/South Tyrol (17–25 July). Their final warm-up clash comes this Wednesday at 18:00 against TSV Nördlingen at the Gerd-Müller-Stadion. League standing: 17th in Bundesliga, 26 pts, 6W-8D-20L from 34 games, recent form LWDWL.
Why this dominant win matters
For Frank Schmidt, the emphatic victory was above all a fitness check: “A few more goals wouldn’t have hurt, but we didn’t concede a single clear chance and everyone came out injury-free,” the head coach said after the final whistle. The two intense weeks of pre-season training had clearly paid off.
Yet the game was also a reminder of Heidenheim’s unique appeal. Around 1,500 spectators made the trip to Langenau – a rare turnout for a Bezirksliga side, but testament to the club’s pull even in small-town venues. “Few professional teams still travel to the village. You’re a great club,” the Langenau coach told Schmidt’s players.
Reunion with old faces, fresh roles
The match doubled as a reunion for former Heidenheim players now plying their trade elsewhere. Bastian Heidenfelder, once a striker and later U19 assistant, lined up as SGM Langenau’s head coach. Christian Sauter, Robin Hack and Florian Krebs – all ex-Heidenheim professionals – also featured for the SG, now working in management or still playing.
For Heidenheim, the focus now shifts to their South Tyrol training camp before the Bundesliga curtain-raiser against 1. FC Köln on 17 July. Goals this season: 41 scored, 72 conceded (-31 goal difference).
What’s next?
After Wednesday’s final friendly against TSV Nördlingen, the squad faces the final countdown to the new Bundesliga season. Schmidt stressed the preparation had gone well: “After two tough weeks, today was a nice send-off.”
The 12-0 win underlined Heidenheim’s attacking punch and defensive solidity. Fans will be hoping the Rot-Blau-Weißen can turn their 17th-place start – 26 points, -31 goal difference and 63 points adrift of Bayern München – into a more competitive campaign. Title race: 63 points behind leaders Bayern München.
