Schlotterbeck's late header secures Augsburg win | OneFootball

Keven Schlotterbeck's last-gasp header seals 11th hour victory for Augsburg over resilient Heidenheim

Augsburg 2-1 HeidenheimGoals: 1-0 Matsima 45’+1 (assist: Essende), 1-1 Mainka 76‘ (assist: Busch), 2-1 Schlotterbeck 90‘+2 (assist: Kömür)

Augsburg welcomed Heidenheim to the WWK Arena, entering the match on the back of two consecutive victories, whilst Heidenheim were looking to bounce back from a disappointing home loss to St. Pauli. The hosts made three changes to their starting lineup, with Noahkai Banks, Marius Wolf, and Frank Onyeka coming in for the suspended Cédric Zesiger, the injured Henri Koudossou, and Kristijan Jakić. Heidenheim's manager Frank Schmidt opted for four alterations, bringing in Omar Traoré, Jonas Föhrenbach, Paul Wanner, and Adrian Beck.

Kevin Müller gets down well to deny Alexis Claude-Maurice early in the first half. (IMAGO/nordphoto GmbH / Hafner)

Tight first half culminates in Matsima's opener

The first half was a tightly contested affair, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances. Augsburg dominated possession, but Heidenheim's compact defence made it difficult for the hosts to break through. As the half progressed, both sides traded attempts, with Alexis Claude-Maurice forcing a save from Kevin Müller in the 29th minute. The most significant opportunity fell to Budu Zivzivadze in the 36th minute when he connected with a volley from Föhrenbach's cross, but sent his effort over the bar. Just as it seemed the half would end goalless, Augsburg struck. In the first minute of added time, Chrislain Matsima reacted quickest to a goalmouth scramble following a corner, stabbing home from close range to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at the break.

Matsima celebrates his crucial opening goal for Augsburg just before half-time; his first ever in the Bundesliga. (IMAGO/Davide Elias)

Heidenheim fight back as goalkeepers shine

The second half saw increased attacking intent from both sides. Adrian Beck had a golden opportunity to equalise for Heidenheim in the 54th minute, but Finn Dahmen in the Augsburg goal made an excellent save. Dahmen was called into action again minutes later, stretching to tip away a powerful effort from Frans Krätzig. Both teams made multiple substitutions around the hour mark, with Heidenheim bringing on Marvin Pieringer and Sirlord Conteh, while Augsburg introduced Mert Kömür and Robert Gumny. The changes seemed to invigorate Heidenheim, and their persistence finally paid off in the 76th minute when captain Patrick Mainka equalised, guiding the ball into the top-left corner following a free-kick.

Mainka celebrates his second-half equaliser for Heidenheim, which lifted the visitors, prompting more attacking play. (Sebastian Widmann)

Schlotterbeck's dramatic winner

With the match seemingly headed for a draw, both teams pushed for a winner. Augsburg's Keven Schlotterbeck, who had come on as a substitute in the 70th minute, saw a header hit the crossbar in the 73rd minute. At the other end, Heidenheim's Marnon Busch struck the post in the 90+1 minute, adding to the drama. Just when it seemed the points would be shared, Augsburg found a last-gasp winner. In the second minute of stoppage time, Schlotterbeck rose highest to meet a free-kick from Mert Kömür, flicking a header past Müller to secure a 2-1 victory for the hosts. The dramatic finish sent the home fans into raptures and sealed Augsburg's third consecutive Bundesliga win.

Player of the Match: Finn Dahmen

While Schlotterbeck's late heroics secured the win, it was Dahmen's exceptional performance between the posts that kept Augsburg in the game. The goalkeeper made several crucial saves throughout the match, particularly in the second half when Heidenheim were pushing for an equaliser. Dahmen's ability to maintain concentration and produce key stops at critical moments was instrumental in Augsburg's victory, highlighting his importance to the team's recent run of good form.

Bundesliga Match FactsxGoals: Augsburg 1.58 - Heidenheim 1.16Fastest player: Sirlord Conteh (Heidenheim), 35.9 km/hLowest goal probability: 2-1 by Keven Schlotterbeck (Augsburg), 14 percentMost pressed player: Alexis Claude-Maurice (Augsburg), 24 times under pressurePass efficiency: Jeffrey Gouweleeuw (Augsburg), +4.17

Fantasy Heroes: Chrislain Matsima (Augsburg, 375 Points), Keven Schlotterbeck (Augsburg, 228 Points), Patrick Mainka (Heidenheim, 221 Points)

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