Hertha's dominant home debut crushes Heidenheim in 2. Bundesliga

At the Berlin Olympiastadion, Hertha BSC secured a 4‑1 victory over 1. FC Heidenheim in their first home match (Heimspiel) of the 2. Bundesliga season, extending the momentum from their opening win (Auftaktsieg) and marking another early success (Erfolg) for the Old Lady (Alte Dame).

Unchanged line‑ups for the duel

Both Hertha and Heidenheim entered the second matchday (Spieltag) without any changes, fielding the same starting XI (Startelf) they used in the opening game (Auftaktspiel) last week. Hertha’s coach Stefan Leitl kept Sebastian Grönning in the striker role (Sturm) and Soufian Gouram as the number ten (Zehner). Heidenheim’s coach Frank Schmidt also retained his four‑goal‑team (Vier‑Tore‑Mannschaft), including new signing Marcel Costly.

Hertha’s early dominance

The match opened with Hertha taking the lead after just a few seconds when Grönning headed a free‑kick into the left corner for a 1‑0 advantage. The Berlin side continued to press, and Marten Winkler doubled the lead in the 26th minute with a powerful shot from about 25 metres.

Thirty‑five minutes in, Deyovaisio Zeefuik added a third, finishing a perfect lob from Winkler, putting the hosts firmly in control at 3‑0.

Bundesliga 2, Matchday 7: Hertha to continue where they left off?

Heidenheim finally responded in the second half, with Jan Schöppner scoring from close range after a well‑taken free‑kick, reducing the deficit to 3‑1.

Hertha’s late substitutions paid off when Oluwaseun Adewumi netted the fourth goal in the 90th minute, sealing the win despite a red card for Zeefuik in the 88th minute.

Coach Stefan Leitl and coach Frank Schmidt both stuck with their original squads, a decision reflected in the match’s flow. The game also highlighted Costly’s continued impact after his impressive debut against VfL Osnabrück.

The final score of 4‑1 underlines Hertha BSC’s strong start to the season, while Heidenheim, already marked as a relegated side (Absteiger), must regroup after the heavy defeat.