Dramatic second division final
Heidenheim sends HSV into relegation in the 99th minute
May 28, 2023, 5:38 p.m
HSV is already celebrating the direct promotion to the Bundesliga, since the parallel game in Heidenheim is still going on. Frank Schmidt’s team does the unbelievable and turns a deficit against Jahn Regensburg in injury time. Hamburger SV has to go into relegation, FCH is the champion.
The great HSV already celebrated the Bundesliga return that they thought was certain, but then the “village club” sensationally passed: 1. FC Heidenheim was promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in its club history after a completely crazy second division final. The team of coach Frank Schmidt used their match point on the last day of the second division season with a highly dramatic 3:2 (0:0) at Jahn Regensburg.
Heidenheim’s winning goal by Tim Kleindienst came in the ninth minute of added time after Jan-Niklas Beste (90+3, penalty kick) equalized after the end of regular time. As in the previous season, HSV has to go into relegation. The 1: 0 (1: 0) of the North Germans at relegated SV Sandhausen was no longer significant, the direct promotion was missed on the fifth attempt since the Bundesliga relegation in 2018. HSV’s opponent in the relegation is VfB Stuttgart. The first leg will take place next Thursday with the Swabians, the decision will be made four days later in Hamburg’s Volkspark.
“Football is crazy,” said Walter
There was great optimism at HSV before the game in Sandhausen. “Football is crazy,” Walter said just before kick-off. In the Sky interview, the HSV coach referred to the decisions made the day before in the upper house: “You can see what can happen. The craziest things happen there. And of course we hope for that a bit.”
However, the Hamburgers were by no means limited to hoping. It took less than three minutes for Dompe to follow up with a dream goal and lifted HSV to second place in the lightning table. The Frenchman volleyed a perfectly timed cross from Ransford Königsdörffer under the bar from six yards out. After the final whistle, the fans stormed the pitch, then their eyes were fixed on Regensburg.
And Heidenheim? Take it easy. For a long time in Regensburg, FCH lacked the lightness that coach Frank Schmidt’s team had enjoyed in recent weeks and months. The intermediate standings in Sandhausen also seemed to paralyze the Schmidt team.
It was relegated Regensburg in the first half that provided the sporting highlights. Heidenheim goal danger? Zero. It was only when Prince Osei Owusu made it 0-2 with a double strike at the beginning of the second half (51st and 57th) that the guests looked to go forward and drew from a Regensburg own goal by Benedikt Saller (58th) and the converted penalty by Beste Hope – then Kleindienst struck late.