As it happened: Werder Bremen secure Bundesliga safety on away goals against Heidenheim

Werder Bremen secure themselves a spot in the 2020/21 Bundesliga season and Heidenheim narrowly miss out on relegation.

An extraordinary contest, Heidenheim were just defeated on away goals after they equalled the scoring in the final minute through a penalty.

The small team from the 2. Bundesliga did themselves proud however against the Bundesliga's longest-serving team, but their fairytale story just wasn't to be.

I've been Adam Millington, thank you for tuning into VAVEL.com's LIVE coverage of 1. FC Heidenheim vs Werder Bremen

Kleindienst gets his brace with an expertly-done penalty

Heidenheim have a penalty in the final minutes, although it won't mean much

Werder secure their survival, Müller left all alone at the back and Augustinsson slots into an open goal

90+2' Bremen doing whatever they can to run down the clock now

90' Five minutes of added time

88' Only two minutes left now, can Werder hold on or can Heidenheim do the unthinkable?

87' It's worth a reminder that Bremen will win this game on away goals as it stands

It's hit from range by Mohr and its Kleindienst who taps in after it deflects off the bar. We're in for an exciting final few minutes!

84' Not long left now, surely Bremen have done it?

82' Klaassen hits it from range but it lands on the top of the net

81' Multhaup receives a yellow card for a slide tackle on Klaasen

80' Two subs for the visitors as Rashica and Velijkovic make way for Füllkrug and Langkamp

79' Heidenheim still attacking really well here but they just haven't had that clinical edge

76' Heidenheim still attacking well but it's hard to see any way for them to get back into the game

75' Quarter of an hour left

53' Busch nods the ball behind and its a corner for Bremen

72' Free-kick for Werder Bremen in their own half after a defender is taken down by a Heidenheim player

71' Twenty minutes left and still all to play for with both sides competing at a high intensity

66' It seems to be that there were quite a few Heidenheim fans who had found their way into the ground but they have been escorted out

64' Under 30 minutes left and the game has evened out

60' Resulting corner is cleared

59' Josh Sargent goes all the way but is stopped at the last second by Müller

58' Augustinsson finds himself free in the box but it's another great block on the line

58' Corner cleared by Heidenheim

58' Josh Sargent tries to attack but his shot is deflected behind

57' The corner reaches a Bremen player at the back post but it's cleared off the line

56' Bremen have the ball inside of the box but last-gasp defending sees the ball deflected out for a corner

54' Bremen have found themselves on the back foot since the second half started

52' Ball goes out at the by-line and its a goal kick for Pavlenka

ICYMI: Two subs for Heidenheim at the break. Otto replaced Schnatterer and Schimmer replaced Thomalla

50' Osako has space in front of goal for Werder but its a good block by a Heidenheim defender

50' Heidenheim have started this second half much better and have had lots of good opportunities

48' Close again! Otto receives the ball in the middle of the box but his header is just wide

47' So close! Heidenheim have the ball inside of the box after a corner but one player fires over the bar

46' Better already for Heidenheim as Pavlenka is forced into a save early on

The second half has started

There's not long until the second half starts

It's Theuerkauf's early own goal that give Werder the lead going into the break.

Stay tuned for LIVE updates of the second half

45+3' Werder go forward via Eggestein and Sargent but it's cleared

3 minutes added on

44' Heidenheim getting back into it now and passing the ball well around their own defence

42' Not long left in the first half and its still all to play for, albeit the visitors now have the advantage of an away goal

40' Bremen still on top but Heidenheim have started to get into the match

36' Heidenheim go forwards but are adjudged to be offside

35' He's now back up

34' A Heidenheim player is pushed out on the wing and is clutching his ankle

33' That noise is getting annoying now

32' Werder still looking the side on top

30' Heidenheim slowly getting into the game but they're not leaving much to be desired

28' First time that Heidenheim go forwards but the ball goes behind the goal

26' To be honest, apart from the early own goal, the main talking point has been those in the stands.

There's one with a horn, one with a drum and one with what seem to be some pans that they're hitting together.

That's lockdown football.

25' Sargent is down and clutching his back

23' If there's one thing that the visitors are leaving to be desired then its Josh Sargent's performance.

The USMNT youngster has seemed off the mark

23' Heidenheim are really struggling

19' Bremen have been a joy to watch today, Heidenheim have struggled to get outside of their own half

17' Much of the same, Werder are playing fluid passing football going forwards, focusing on Osaka and Sargent up top

15' Quarter of an hour gone and it's been all Bremen so far. They have really changed for the better since the first leg

12' Heidenheim have struggled today and the visitors look far better

10' Klaasen heads the corner but it's straight into the arms of the keeper

10' VAR check for handball says it did not hit the Heidenheim player's hand and the corner will take place

10' Werder have a corner

9' Rashica hits it from range and it's saved brilliantly by Müller in the Heidenheim goal

8' Heidenheim have struggled to get started in this game and Werder look the far better

6' Bremen have started as the better of the two by far, attacking much better than in the first leg

I still can't believe how that has happened. If that was from a Bremen player it would have been an incredible finish

The goal which Werder Bremen could have only have dreamt of came early on. Rashica plays it to Eggestein and its an incredible own goal as Theuerkauf chips his own keeper from the edge of the box

3' It's already started more quickly than the first leg, with Bremen attacking with a high press

The first half is underway

Only a short while until kickoff

Werder Bremen will play in a new kit from Umbro for tonight's game

FOR THE CITY. FOR THE FANS. FOR WERDER.
The new @werderbremen city kit is on pitch tonight and available now. ✋🏻💚🤚🏻#LEBENLANGSGRÜNWEISS #FCHSVW #CITYKIT pic.twitter.com/8CO9FK16fb

— Umbro (@umbro) July 6, 2020

1. FC have been incredible at home this season in the 2. Bundesliga.

Across their 17 games, they have only lost two and have won in eleven.

Heidenheim top scorer Tim Kleindienst has scored 13 of his 14 goals this season in games at home.

Tonight will the final match of one of the Bundesliga's longest servants.

At 41 years of age, Claudio Pizarro will end his professional career after tonight after playing in four different decades. 

A quarter of an hour to go until kickoff in Heidenheim

For those in the UK, the game is available to watch live on BT Sport 1

For those in the USA, the game is available to watch live on Fox Sports 2

If you want to follow along on the internet, VAVEL UK is the best option

There are four players in Heidenheim's defence this season who have also featured for Werder Bremen.

Embed from Getty Images

Those players are Marnon Busch, Patrick Mainka, Norman Theuerkauf and Oliver Husing. Three of those four start tonight and will be aiming to send their former club down to the 2. Bundesliga

There's only half an hour left until kickoff in Heidenheim.

Werder Bremen are the longest-serving side in Germany's top flight, and they have been in every game since the 1980/81 season. Will tonight see a change to that run?

We're fast approaching kickoff in tonight's game between 1.FC Heidenheim and SV Werder Bremen

Here's how the hosts will line up tonight:

Eine knappe Stunde bis Anpfiff- Hier ist unsere Aufstellung! 🔴🔵#FCHSVW pic.twitter.com/s5e62BSTH2

— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) July 6, 2020

Werder Bremen have announced their substitutes, with Claudio Pizarro on the bench

On the bench 💺

⏳ #Kapino, #Selke, #Bittencourt, #Füllkrug, #Pizarro, #Langkamp, #Bartels, #Groß, #Bargfrede#werder #FCHSVW pic.twitter.com/PgOi8msS4H

— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) July 6, 2020

Here's how the green-whites will line up for tonight's game:

As big as it comes for these XI players tonight 📋#werder #FCHSWV pic.twitter.com/arpLKBkP8X

— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) July 6, 2020

It doesn't look as if the weather, which was a large factor when a rainstorm overcame the Weserstadion on Thursday, will be a problem during today's game

The stage is set 🏟️

90 minutes to kick-off in Heidenheim. #werder #SVWFCH pic.twitter.com/Ah1Ct4qAaI

— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) July 6, 2020

There’s only an hour and a half left until kickoff at the Voith-Arena, with Team news due in 30 minutes

 

Stay tuned for LIVE pre-match updates here on VAVEL UK

It's only the second time that Heidenheim have hosted Werder Bremen, with the last time occurring back in the 2011 DFB Pokal.

On that day, the underdogs were victorious against a Bremen side who were heavy favourites.

Why not watch back the highlights from Heidenheim's previous 2-1 victory

The home side are very close to being able to secure Bundesliga football for the first time in their history.

Embed from Getty Images

Since they were founded in 1952, they have only been in the second division for the past four years but everything looks on the up in Baden-Württemberg.

There's three hours until kickoff at this evening's game in Heidenheim.

Will Werder manage to stay up or will Heidenheim earn promotion?

Peruvian international Claudio Pizarro will play his final game as a professional footballer for Werder Bremen tonight, first joining the club in 1999 and having five separate spells with them since then.

- Oldest goalscorer in Bundesliga history
- First player to score a goal in the Bundesliga in 21 different calendar years
- Bremen's record goalscorer

Claudio Pizarro to play his last game as a professional footballer.

Football is going to miss @pizarrinha 💚 #FCHSVW pic.twitter.com/UWYWhDlvp5

— DW Sports (@dw_sports) July 6, 2020

Werder Bremen have been in the top flight for longer than any other side and today is their last chance to secure a Bundesliga spot for next season.

Last-day heroics saw them earn a place in the relegation, but tonight will be the decider for if they stay up or not.

Ahead of tonight's game, why not watch the highlights of the first leg of the game?

Do not miss a detail of the match with the live updates and commentaries of VAVEL. Follow along with us all the details, commentaries, analysis and lineups for Heidenheim vs Werder Bremen.

If you want to watch the game on TV, your options are: BT Sport 1

If you want to directly stream it: BT Sport App.

If you want to watch it on the internet, VAVEL UK is your best option!

Pavlenka, Selassie, Veljkovic, Vogt, Friedl, Eggestein, Gross, Klaassen, Bittencourt, Fullkrug, Rashica

Muller, Busch, Mainka, Beermann, Theuerkauf, Griesbeck, Dorsch, Thomalla, Schnatterer, Multhaup, Kleindienst

Bremen will be without their captain for Monday’s contest, as Niklas Moisander was sent off in the 1st leg after receiving two yellow cards.

Luckily for the Green-Whites, they will have Kevin Vogt available for selection again, as he has served his suspension that ruled him out last time around.

Heidenheim have no fresh injury concerns going into the game. Defender Arne Feick didn’t feature in the first leg last Thursday, although he might be able to return to the team if need be for the upcoming contest. 

The first leg of the playoff was not the most exciting one to watch, with neither side impressing.

There was only a single shot on target throughout the entire match, with each team having only six shots

After a 0-0 draw in the first leg tonight's game will be the decider for if Heidenheim manage to secure promotion to the Bundesliga, or if Werder Bremen can avoid the drop

Heidenheim vs Werder Bremen will be played at the Voith-Arena, in Heidenheim, Germany. The kick-off is scheduled at 19:30 BST.

Welcome to VAVEL UK’s LIVE coverage of the 2020 Bundesliga playoff: Heidenheim vs Werder Bremen! My name is Adam Millington and I’ll be your host for this game. We will provide you with pre-game analysis, roster updates, and news as it happens live here on VAVEL.com