Heidenheim wins 3-1 in Cologne and keeps relegation battle alive. The visitors went into the game with confidence and were rewarded with a 3-1 win.
What happened in Cologne?
Heidenheim won the game 3-1, with Jan Schöppner scoring in the 8th minute and Arijon Ibrahimovic in the 28th minute.
Why is this win important for Heidenheim?
The win is important because Heidenheim is now level on points with the other relegation candidates.
What's next?
Heidenheim faces Mainz in the next game and must win to avoid relegation. | Matchday | Opponent | Result | | 34 | Mainz | - |
Heidenheim's coach Frank Schmidt had said before the game: „And now honestly, what do we have to lose in the last few weeks? Nothing.“ The Cologne team went into the game carelessly, given their safety from relegation. Regular defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was late to the pre-game warm-up and was subsequently dropped from the squad by Cologne's coach René Wagner. „We've been talking about this all week, that this game is important for us and we need to show attitude, and if a player is late in the morning, then there need to be consequences“, Wagner said. Without Simpson-Pusey, the Cologne defense lacked order in the early stages. Cenk Özkacar made two critical mistakes before Heidenheim's opening goal. After Schöppner's header, Cologne equalized immediately. Frank Feller, Heidenheim's goalkeeper, was unable to stop Marius Bülter's shot from a tight angle. FCH coach Schmidt had surprisingly promoted the 22-year-old Feller to the starting lineup before the game, replacing Diant Ramaj, who had a poor game against Bayern. „There's not just one reason for this“, Schmidt said about his goalkeeper change. Feller had suffered a serious knee injury before the season, was out for months, and had recently returned to training at a high level, according to Schmidt. Feller would also remain in goal in case of relegation playoffs, Schmidt confirmed.
