On a sunny September afternoon at the Voith-Arena, Borussia Dortmund finally broke their away-day curse with a 2-0 victory over Heidenheim, a win that could prove crucial in their hunt to keep pace with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. The match, played before a sold-out crowd of 15,000, was anything but routine in the opening exchanges, as injuries, red cards, and tactical chess matches shaped the narrative of a contest many had tipped Dortmund to dominate.
From the very first whistle, BVB showed their intent. Within seconds, Karim Adeyemi burst through on goal, forcing a sharp save from Heidenheim’s Diant Ramaj. The rebound fell to Svensson, who couldn’t convert, but the warning signs were there for the hosts. The game’s tempo was set: Dortmund would probe and prod, while Heidenheim, fresh off a tense relegation playoff just months earlier, looked to disrupt and counter.
But football’s cruel hand intervened early for Heidenheim. Leart Paqarada, their trusted left-back, rolled his ankle awkwardly on the turf and had to be replaced by Jonas Föhrenbach in just the seventh minute. The disruption unsettled the hosts, and Dortmund, sensing blood, kept up the pressure.
Heidenheim, lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, pressed high and looked to disrupt Dortmund’s build-up. But BVB, operating in a 3-4-3, began to find joy down the flanks. The hosts’ resistance took a significant blow in the 22nd minute when Budu Zivzivadze lunged into a studs-up challenge on Felix Nmecha. Referee Felix Zwayer wasted no time brandishing a straight red card. With Heidenheim down to ten, the odds shifted firmly in Dortmund’s favor.
"That red card changed the whole dynamic," noted one analyst on talkSPORT. "Heidenheim were already up against it, and losing Zivzivadze so early just made it a mountain to climb."
With a man advantage, Dortmund turned the screw. They enjoyed 72% possession by half-time and peppered the Heidenheim goal with seven shots. Yet, it took until the 33rd minute for the breakthrough. A patient build-up saw Ryerson collect the ball on the right, whip in a teasing cross, and Serhou Guirassy—so often Dortmund’s talisman—rose highest to glance a delicate header into the far corner. Ramaj had no chance. It was Guirassy’s fifth goal in four matches across all competitions, underlining his importance to Niko Kovač’s plans.
Heidenheim did not wilt, though. A clever set-piece routine saw Honsak find space in the box, only for his shot to be bravely blocked by Bensebaini. But as the first half stretched into stoppage time, Dortmund struck again. Ryerson, again instrumental, released Adeyemi down the right. The winger left Gimber in his wake and squared unselfishly for Maxi Beier, who tapped home from close range. The scoreboard flashed 2-0 as the teams headed into the dressing rooms, and the match seemed all but settled.
By the break, the statistics told the story: Dortmund in control, Heidenheim hanging on. The shot count favored BVB, and the possession stats were lopsided. But if anyone thought the second half would be a procession, they were mistaken.
Heidenheim came out with renewed purpose. Aaron Ibrahimovic, one of their few bright sparks, embarked on a mazy run before unleashing a powerful drive from 20 meters. Gregor Kobel, largely untested until then, sprang into action to parry the effort away. It was a reminder that, even with ten men, Heidenheim could sting on the break.
Recognizing the need for fresh legs, Dortmund coach Niko Kovač made a double substitution just after the hour mark. Jobe Bellingham and Carney Chukwuemeka entered for Adeyemi and Pascal Groß. The changes maintained Dortmund’s energy and control in midfield, while Heidenheim, now sitting deep in a 4-4-1, focused on damage limitation and the odd counter.
Chances continued to fall Dortmund’s way. Jobe Bellingham nearly set up Guirassy for a second, but Ramaj was again equal to the task. Chukwuemeka and Nmecha both tried their luck from distance, but neither could add to the tally. As the minutes ticked by, the urgency faded, replaced by a sense of inevitability about the result.
For Heidenheim, the defeat was a tough pill to swallow. After finishing 16th last season and scraping survival in the relegation playoff, they had hoped for a brighter start to the new campaign. Instead, three defeats from three matches and a mounting injury list paint a worrying picture.
"We knew it would be difficult," said Heidenheim’s coach Frank Schmidt after the match. "The red card changed everything, but I can’t fault the players for their effort."
Dortmund, meanwhile, will take heart from their first away win of the season. With Bayer Leverkusen in turmoil after a managerial change and RB Leipzig struggling, BVB are being tipped as Bayern Munich’s closest challengers for the Bundesliga crown. The bookmakers rate them as second-favorites, and performances like this—efficient, professional, and ruthless—will only strengthen that belief.
Kovač’s men now turn their attention to Europe, where a mouthwatering clash against Juventus awaits in the Champions League. The squad, still missing key players like Anselmino, Brandt, Can, Duranville, Fabio Silva, Schlotterbeck, and Süle, will hope to build on this momentum. The next Bundesliga fixture, a home tie against Wolfsburg, offers another opportunity to keep pace at the top.
For now, Dortmund fans can savor a job well done. The away-day blues have been banished, at least for this week, and with Guirassy firing on all cylinders, who knows how far this team can go? The Bundesliga title race is just heating up, and BVB have thrown down the gauntlet.
The action continues next week, but for now, Dortmund’s players and supporters can look forward to their European adventure with renewed confidence and belief.
