The capital club took charge of this game after Marc Schnatterer had given his side an early lead on Sunday afternoon. Damir Kreilach responded immediately, with Sören Brandy and Christopher Quiring earning a well-deserved three points. Fabian Schönheim was the star of the show, helping himself to three assists.
Frank Schmidt made several changes to his side after a hard-fought 0-1 defeat to Karlsruher SC, especially in defence. Heidenheim's start to the season had, seemingly, flattered to deceive; defeat meant that the early promotion contenders now had just one win in seven. Dennis Malura, Kevin Kraus, Mathias Wittek and Smail Morabit replaced Robert Strauß, Tim Göhlert, Timo Beerman and Adriano Grimaldi, in a bid to rejuvenate the team.
Two wins in a draw in their last five games had seen Norbert Düwel's side club steadily up the table, but a 3-1 defeat to 1. FC Nürnberg brought them back to earth with a bump. They were missing star-striker Sebastian Polter through suspension, after he picked up his fifth yellow card in that game. Sören Brandy took his spot, as Christopher Quiring and Björn Jopek started in place of Martin Kobylanski and Bajam Nebihi.
Despite only scoring a mere three goals in their last seven games, the visitors went ahead early on. The first attack of the game saw Florian Niederlechner drove inside and fed his captain, Marc Schnatterer, who finished from twelve yards out. It was his eighth goal this campaign, a well-placed finish with his right foot.
That lead was short-lived however, as Union equalised a few minutes later. Fabian Schönheim burst down the left, before cutting back to beat his man and sent a delightful ball into the middle for Damir Kreilach to volley home. A lovely, simple move that the captain volleyed home with aplomb for his fifth goal of the season.
It was a tale of the two captains, especially Schnatterer. The Heidenheim skipper almost had a brace inside the opening ten minutes, but his swerving shot from thirty yards out was brilliantly tipped over by Daniel Haas.
The attacking intent from both sides was a breath of fresh air, with neither looking too bothered about defensive solidity. Union were looking extremely dangerous from Jopek's dead-ball delivery and when Wittek almost headed into his own goal, the furrowed brow that followed was evidence of how much pressure they were under.
Polter's absence didn't seem to effect the capital club at all, as a lightning quick attack gave them the lead. Schnatterer was dispossessed on the edge of the Union box and just two passes later they were bearing down on goal. Schönheim provided the assist once more, curling a brilliant ball into Brandy's path. The forward side-footed it calmly past Rouven Sattelmeier from the edge of the area. The cameras cut to a lovely shot of the suspended striker jumping for joy as his side went ahead.
The second half began with similar pressure from Union on the visiting goal, with Brandy heading Christopher Trimmel's cross just wide of the net. Kreilach almost had his second goal of the game, but his curling effort whistled inches past the beaten Sattelmeier.
He would be beaten not long after, thanks to yet another Schönheim assist. He played a one-two with Brandy, before racing in behind the Heidenheim defence and cutting the ball back to Quiring. The winger made no mistake from just four yards out and finished off a tidy team goal, nothing less than their play deserved.
Heidenheim had been very quiet going forward, although Wittek's header glanced the bar and gave them a glimmer of hope that all was not lost. That seemed to be a flash in the pan and Union regained control once more.
Düwel's men held on for a very comfortable win, in a game that lost its intensity after Quiring's goal. The capital club move into ninth place, ahead of a tough trip to RB Leipzig next weekend.
The vistiors would have been disappointed not to have kicked on from their early opener, instead offering little resistance to a very impressive Union performance. They drop to eleventh and welcome Fortuna Düsseldorf to the Voith Arena on Sunday.