Fortuna Düsseldorf lost the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim with 0:1 despite playing superiority. Leipertz punished the hosts in injury time.
Düsseldorf coach Christian Preußer made four changes compared to the 0:1 in Dresden. Wolf, Koutris, Sobottka and Peterson played for Kastenmeier (Corona infection), Hartherz, Tanaka and Klaus.
Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt makes a change in one position compared to the 2:1 against Kiel: Föhrenbach plays for Pick.
Düsseldorf start strongly
Fortuna started the game very well and pushed FCH deep into their own half in the early stages. The visitors had to make several last-ditch clearances in their own penalty area, but Düsseldorf lacked consistency in their finishing. After a good quarter of an hour, Heidenheim also got into the game better and better, and through solid defensive work managed to throw Fortuna off their stride somewhat.
The visitors were particularly dangerous on the counterattack. Kleindienst had the best chance in the 31st minute, but failed in a one-on-one with keeper Wolf. Shortly before the break, Düsseldorf turned up the heat again, but the home side’s offensive efforts were not really compelling. So it was 0-0 going into the catacombs.
Heidenheim passive
As at the start of the first half, Fortuna came into the game much better in half-time two. Heidenheim remained very passive and were lucky, among other things, with a header by Klarer (49.) that the hosts did not make more of their chances.
In the following period, FCH again managed to take the wind out of Düsseldorf’s sails. However, the visitors did not really become offensively active, Fortuna remained the better team. From the 80th minute onwards, the home side started to throw everything forward. Heidenheim defended passionately and Klarer missed Düsseldorf’s best chance with a header in the 87th minute.
Leipertz punishes Fortuna
But Fortuna could not convert their own superiority into goals, the Heidenheimers took advantage of that ice-cold: In the second minute of stoppage time, the FCH punished a highly charged Düsseldorf team with a counter-attack, at the end of which Leipertz only had to slot into the empty goal.
The game, which the hosts should have won, ended 1-0 in favour of Heidenheim.