For the 1. FC Heidenheim, the training camp in South Tyrol concludes with another test match: on Saturday at 13:30, they will face Hamburger SV. After the draw against the FC Bologna, it's now time to test the team under Frank Schmidt's guidance to see if they have learned from their weaknesses.
The draw against Bologna was a valuable lesson. The Serie-A bottom club began in Vals with more pressure: Heidenheim needed time to adapt to the two-way play and find its own rhythm. Goalkeeper Frank Feller kept the FCH in the game with strong saves, before Santiago Castro took the lead after 21 minutes by heading home.
Only after half-time did Heidenheim become more effective: Marvin Pieringer used a mistake by the Italians in the 29th minute to take control of the ball and beat the goalkeeper for an equalizer. Patrick Mainka had a good chance with a header on the crossbar, but the defense held firm: Adam Kölle saved just before full-time and Feller also parried a follow-up shot.
Schmidt spoke afterwards about a satisfactory result, seeing plenty of work still to be done. That's why the comparison with Hamburger SV is fitting: The Bundesliga newcomers will again demand tempo, physicality, and quality from Heidenheim. For Heidenheim, it's less about the result than whether the team has learned from their weak start against Bologna: faster transitions, cleaner counter-attacks after winning possession, more aggression in duels.
After the HSV test comes a match on August 1st against FC Ingolstadt, followed by the Second Division opener against VfL Osnabrück a week later. Heidenheim is not looking for summer euphoria but clarity: Bologna showed weaknesses as well as resistance. Hamburg should now show how sustainable this progress is.
