The VfB Stuttgart secured a 1-0 victory over 1. FC Heidenheim in a Baden-Württemberg derby on the sixth matchday of the Bundesliga, solidifying their position in the upper reaches of the table at fourth place. Heidenheim, meanwhile, remains in the relegation zone, occupying 17th place.
The match unfolded with Stuttgart initially dictating the pace, but struggling to convert possession into scoring opportunities. An early chance for Stuttgart fell to Badredine Bouanani in the sixth minute, but his effort went wide of Heidenheim’s goalkeeper Diant Ramaj.
Heidenheim took roughly twenty minutes to find their footing, with Mikkel Kaufmann testing Stuttgart’s Alexander Nübel with a short-range attempt – the visitors’ sole dangerous attack in the first half.
The first period was characterized by a lack of tempo, inaccurate passes and overall a largely neutralized midfield battle, culminating in a goalless draw at halftime.
The second half witnessed a noticeable improvement from Stuttgart. Manager Sebastian Hoeneß introduced fresh legs in the form of Angelo Stiller, Tiago Tomás and Ameen Al-Dakhil, injecting more structure into the team’s play.
The decisive moment arrived in the 65th minute when Maximilian Mittelstädt found Bilal El Khannouss in a promising position. The Moroccan skillfully evaded two defenders before calmly slotting the ball past Ramaj from 16 meters, securing a 1-0 lead.
The goal seemed to unlock Stuttgart’s attacking potential and they pressed for a second. Leweling, Demirović and Stiller all had opportunities but failed to capitalise.
Offensively, 1. FC Heidenheim struggled to create meaningful threats. A late header from Schimmer, following a cross in the 90+4th minute, lacked the required accuracy.
Stuttgart managed the remainder of the match composedly, maintaining possession and denying Heidenheim the opportunity to mount a comeback.
Ultimately, it was a deserved victory for VfB Stuttgart, who dominated after the break and earned three valuable points thanks to El Khannouss’ impressive goal. While Heidenheim defended resolutely, they lacked the offensive firepower needed to truly threaten Stuttgart.