SSV Jahn Regensburg survived a dramatic finish to their game at 1. FC Heidenheim to take all three points with their second 2. Bundesliga win of the campaign.
A slow-burning encounter was ignited as Regensburg's Marvin Knoll scored a direct free-kick for the second game in a row.
Dominik Widemann snatched what appeared to be a vital equalise five minutes from time, but Regensburg responded with goals from Joshua Mees and Marco Grüttner to condemn Frank Schmidt’s side to a fourth loss in five matches.
Heidenheim edge first half despite Adamyan hitting bar
Both of these sides had just one win and three points on the board coming into this game – that might have been expected of newly-promoted Regensburg, but less so of Heidenheim, who are traditionally strong starts. They brought in Robert Glatzel for John Verhoek here, with Benedikt Gimber and Albion Vrenezi handed starts for the visitors.
The hosts had the first chances to open the scoring here. Nikola Dovedan had a shot parry wide off both Philipp Pentke and the post, before both he and Glatzel were unable to convert in the box as a Marc Schnatterer free-kick causes all sorted of uncertainty in the Regensburg penalty area.
At the other end there were chances for Sargis Adamyan and Vrenezi, before Adamyan then had the best chance of the game up to that point. Mathias Wittek slipped on the ball, with the Regensburg striker taking full advantage. He chipped the ball over Kevin Müller towards an open goal, only to see it go out off the crossbar.
Heidenheim had further opportunities to take the lead – Glatzel struck over on the half-volley, whilst Tim Starke was one-on-one with Pentke after trading passes with Dovedan, with the goalkeeper claiming the ball at his feet. Arne Feick also had a shot go wide off the fingers of Pentke just before the break – although a goal kick was given.
Another free-kick masterclass from Knoll
The second half got off to a disrupted start, with flares in the away end causing a delay of a few minutes as the resulting smoke affected visibility on the pitch. With several injures and set pieces as well, neither side was able to build up any momentum.
Heidenheim eventually crafted a good chance, with Dovedan finding Glatzel through three defenders on the edge of the box, but the former 1.FC Kaiserslautern struck into the side netting, leading several in the ground to think he had scored.
The game needed a moment of magic to finally get going again. Having scored direct from a free-kick in the defeat to Holstein Kiel two weeks ago, Knoll repeated the trick here. He perfectly placed a free-kick over the Heidenheim wall, and whilst not quite reaching the top corner he had Müller well beaten regardless.
Now chasing the game, Heidenheim weren’t having much luck. Timo Beermann failed to connect with a Schnatterer free-kick, with the talismanic winger then forced to hobble off after challenging for the ball with Sebastian Nachreiner. Grüttner then almost put it out of their reach, getting around Müller only to force himself into a tight angle, eventually only able to hit the post.
Regensburg respond to Widemann equaliser to seal three points
The final five minutes of normal time turned out to be pure chaos as the game ended in truly dramatic fashion. To start with, Marcel Titsch-Rivero had a long-range effort shot saved by Pentke before Widemann, having been in an offside position, converted from the rebound. The goal stood regardless.
Just a minute later and Widemann, briefly, thought he had completely turned the game around. He had struck in off the bar, but this time the goal was disallowed by the officials. Regensburg then went down the other end and won the game for themselves. Jann George provided the cross, with Mees there to put the ball home and stun the home fans.
That felt like the end of the drama, but Regensburg weren’t quite done. In the final minute of four added on, they added a third with George again involved, this time playing a dummy allowing Grüttner at the far post to shoot through Müller and make absolutely certain of all three points for his team.