Heidenheim carry momentum in relegation playoff thanks to trio of impactful subs | OneFootball

Everything remains possible for two German clubs seeking to secure Bundesliga football next season following the opening leg of last night’s 2024/24 promotion-relegation playoff. Top division side FC Heidehenheim and the 2. Bundesliga’s SV Elversberg find themselves “as you were” following a 2-2 draw at Heidenheim’s Voith Arena. The second leg takes place on Monday evening in the Saarland.

What shall transpire on at Elversberg’s Ursapharm-Arena an der Kaiserlinde remains impossible to predict. One can say that Heidenheim travel to their competitors with some momentum after overcoming a 0-2 halftime deficit to restore parity in last night’s fixture. Frank Schmidt’s were finally able to answer their head coach’s call thanks largely to Schmidt’s three halftime substitutions.

Interestingly enough, the three players who ended up swinging the match all qualified as flops during Heidenheim’s disappointing league campaign. Brazilian winger Leonardo Scienza – who made the move from 3. Liga side SSV Ulm 1846 this past summer – scored only three league goals in 25 league appearances this season.. Georgian striker Budu Zivzivadze – a winter addition from 2. Bundesliga side Karlsruher SC – struggled with injury and netted just two goals.

The case of German-Austrian phenom Paul Wanner counts as a disappointing tale. The Bayern Munich talent stormed out of the gate at the beginning of the year, but completely tanked as the season progressed. Wanner did not manage to score a goal in the current 2025 calendar year. Last night enabled all three players a chance to redeem themselves.

Wanner and Zivzivadze came close to scoring during FCH attacking flurries. Scienza collected the assist on both Heidenheim goals in the 62nd and 64th minute. Speaking to Sky Germany after the match, Heidenheim centre-back Tim Siersleben – who scored 1-2 pull back goal – praised his coach’s decisions.

“The three substitutions did a lot for the game,” Siersleben told Sky. “Paul [Wanner], Leo [Scienza] and Budu [Zivzivadze] all helped shift the match“

“The coach has been doing a good job for a long time,” Scienza added in the mixed zone. “I don’t want to talk, I want to show him on the pitch. It doesn’t matter whether I start or come off the bench, though it wasn’t pleasant [not to start].“

As to whether any of these three players will feature in the starting XI in the return leg, Schmidt naturally emphasized that he would require time to mull over such decisions.

“I have to let it sink in first and reassess the opponent,” Schmidt said at the post-match press conference, “We will take our time and think about it carefully.”

GGFN | Peter Weis