FC Heidenheim - Olimpija Ljubljana 2:1 (1:0)
A significant day for Heidenheim, TSG, and Matarazzo marks the revitalization process.
Eighteen-year-old Paul Wanner, making his Europa League debut, sealed a hard-fought victory for 1. FC Heidenheim against Olimpija Ljubljana. Wanner scored from the rebound of a penalty in the 83rd minute to secure a 2-1 (1-0) victory. Wanner replaced Adrian Beck, who had given Heidenheim the lead in the 6th minute, in the 60th minute. Olimpija equalized through Alejandro Blanco in the 77th minute.
Heidenheim qualified for the Conference League via playoffs against BK Häcken from Sweden, and they now have at least five more lucrative matches ahead in UEFA's third-tier competition. They travel to Pafos FC in Cyprus on October 24, with the home game against Chelsea FC on November 28 being a high point of the group stage.
Heidenheim displayed their prowess on the European stage against Ljubljana, despite fielding an unusual formation. Coach Frank Schmidt made seven changes from the side that beat Mainz 2-0 on Saturday, citing the "high workload." Schmidt trusts his entire squad, and one of the rested players, midfielder Beck, scored the early opener with a bit of flair in the box.
Niklas Dorsch showed Heidenheim's European ambitions with a run into the box in the 15th minute, but missed his chance to finish. Leonardo Scienza also came close, hitting the post in the 34th minute. Ljubljana pressed more in the second half, but goalkeeper Kevin Müller was up to the task, even getting a bit of luck when the ball bounced off him and the post in the 64th minute. Substitute Paul Wanner then scored the winner for Heidenheim.
1899 Hoffenheim - Dynamo Kyiv 2:0 (1:0)
Czech newcomer Adam Hlozek scored a brace to give Pellegrino Matarazzo a vital respite as crisis-hit Bundesliga side Hoffenheim beat Dynamo Kyiv 2-0 (1-0) in the Europa League. Hlozek scored in the 22nd and 60th minutes.
Matarazzo's future could hinge on the Bundesliga derby against VfB Stuttgart on Sunday (19:30 CET, live on DAZN and ntv.de). After four consecutive league defeats, Hoffenheim are now third from bottom. They squandered a 3-0 lead to lose 3-4 to Werder Bremen last Sunday, and drew 1-1 with Danish champions FC Midtjylland in their opening Europa League game.
Since the departure of sports director Alexander Rosen and other executives at the end of July, Hoffenheim have not found their peace. There have been numerous disputes within and around the club, and there is still no successor for Rosen. Potential successors for Matarazzo have been rumored for weeks. The 20,351 spectators at the Sinsheim Arena pinned their hopes on Andrej Kramaric. The previously injured striker started from the beginning, while Mergim Berisha was left out of the squad by Matarazzo after being dissatisfied with his early substitution in the Bremen game.
Kramaric missed a good chance in the 17th minute, but Hlozek did better from close range later. After taking the lead, the hosts struggled to press their advantage and missed a second goal before half-time. The uncertainty of the Hoffenheim team was evident, even at the start of the second half. They were too passive, but a good attack was enough for Hlozek's second goal.
Despite their recent struggles in the Bundesliga, Hoffenheim showed resilience in the Europa League, with Czech newcomer Adam Hlozek scoring a brace to secure a 2-0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv. Heidenheim's European journey continued with Paul Wanner's late winner against Olimpija Ljubljana, ensuring a 2-1 victory and advancing their position in the Conference League.
