Scienza's late goal helps Heidenheim stay in Bundesliga

Bude Zivzivadze (R) of 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 vies with Elias Baum of SV Elversberg during the second leg match of Bundesliga relegation/promotion play-off between 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 and SV Elversberg in Spiesen-Elversberg, Germany, May 26, 2025. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)

Leo Scienza scored a 95th-minute goal as Heidenheim shattered SV Elversberg's Bundesliga dreams with a 2-1 win in the second leg of their promotion/relegation play-off on Monday.

With the tie level at 2-2 after the first leg, Heidenheim made a fast start as Mathias Honsak calmly finished off a precise through ball from Scienza in the ninth minute.

Aiming to become the smallest club ever to reach the Bundesliga, the hosts responded bravely, with Robin Fellhauer equalizing on the half-hour mark with a composed finish.

Elversberg thought they had taken the lead shortly after halftime when Fisnik Asllani bundled the ball over the line following a clever move down the right. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was disallowed for a marginal offside in the build-up.

Despite dominating possession, the second-tier side struggled to create clear chances against Heidenheim's compact defense.

The visitors increasingly relied on counterattacks, with substitute Paul Wanner providing fresh impetus late on.

Just as extra time loomed, Wanner's quick pass released Scienza, who dodged a defender before shooting into the near corner.

The result marked Heidenheim's 14th successful Bundesliga play-off in 17 attempts since the format's reintroduction, as coach Frank Schmidt, the league's longest-serving manager, maintained his top-flight record.

"We only managed two proper attacks in the second half, and we made the most of the last one," said Schmidt. "We played well towards the end, but overall, we did far too little in the second half. We had to fight just to stay up. Everyone was expecting extra time, and then we scored the winning goal. I'm happy and proud of my team."

Meanwhile, after a fairytale season and a heroic play-off run, Elversberg came within seconds of achieving historic promotion.

"It's brutal. We really felt like we were close. Conceding a goal like that just seconds before extra time is incredibly tough. The boys are heartbroken, so am I," said SV Elversberg coach Horst Steffen.