Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund's strong start to the new Bundesliga season continued at Heidenheim, with Serhou Guirassy and Maxi Beier netting the first-half goals after the hosts were reduced to 10 men following Budu Zivzivadze's straight red card.
Heidenheim 0-2 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Guirassy 33’. (assist: Reyerson), 0-2 Beier 45’+6 (assist: Adeyemi)
Red card: Zivzivadze 21’
Dortmund arrived at the Voith-Arena in impressive of form, having gone unbeaten in their previous 10 Bundesliga matches dating back to mid-March. The visitors were looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the 2025/26 campaign, whilst hosts Heidenheim were desperate to secure their first points of the season following back-to-back defeats.
Heidenheim's afternoon quickly went from bad to worse as the hosts faced a double setback in the opening 21 minutes. First, Leart Paqarada collapsed clutching his knee, forcing an early substitution with Jonas Föhrenbach replacing him after just seven minutes. The real turning point came shortly after, however, when Zivzivadze lunged in recklessly on Felix Nmecha with his studs showing, leaving referee Felix Zwayer no choice but to brandish a straight red card. Down to 10 men, Heidenheim's task became monumental against a Dortmund side already dominating possession.
With the numerical advantage, Dortmund began to turn the screw. Guirassy was denied twice in quick succession by impressive saves from Diant Ramaj, first from a close-range shot and then from a powerful header.
The breakthrough finally came in the 33rd minute when Julian Ryerson floated a delightful cross from the right flank. Guirassy rose majestically at the far post, directing his header perfectly into the corner beyond Borussia-owned Ramaj's reach. The goal marked the Guinea international's eighth consecutive Bundesliga match on the scoresheet, a feat previously achieved for Dortmund by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Just as Heidenheim thought they might reach the interval trailing by just one goal, Dortmund delivered a crushing blow in first-half stoppage time. Karim Adeyemi produced a moment of brilliance, completely bamboozling Benedikt Gimber on the edge of the area before unselfishly squaring the ball across the six-yard box. Beier was perfectly positioned to tap home into the virtually unguarded net, doubling Dortmund's advantage with virtually the last kick of the half.
The second half saw Heidenheim make a spirited attempt to salvage something from the match. Frank Schmidt introduced Marnon Busch and Sirlord Conteh at the interval, and the hosts showed improved resilience after the break. Their best moment came in the 52nd minute when Arijon Ibrahimović unleashed a powerful long-range effort that forced Gregor Kobel into his first meaningful save of the match, tipping the ball over the crossbar.
Niko Kovač introduced fresh legs with Carney Chukwuemeka and Jobe Bellingham both coming on to inject energy into midfield. The English youngsters made an immediate impact, with Bellingham's creativity causing problems for the tiring Heidenheim defence. Chukwuemeka and Cole Campbell, who replaced goalscorer Beier, both had decent chances to extend the lead but couldn't find the target. In truth, the result was never in doubt after Beier's strike, with Dortmund easing to a comfortable victory that takes them to nine points from their opening three matches and temporarily to the top of the Bundesliga table.
Guirassy once again demonstrated why he's considered one of the Bundesliga's most lethal strikers with another commanding performance. His perfectly executed header to open the scoring showcased his aerial prowess and predatory instinct in the box. The goal marked his eighth consecutive Bundesliga match finding the net – a remarkable streak only previously achieved at Dortmund by Aubameyang, who managed 10 straight scoring games in 2015.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Heidenheim 0.58 - Dortmund 2.83
Fastest player: Karim Adeyemi (Dortmund), 34.96 km/h
Most pressed player: Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund), 21 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Carney Chukwuemeka (Dortmund), +2.69
Fantasy Heroes: Diant Ramaj (Heidenheim, 291 Points), Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund, 267 Points), Felix Nmecha (Dortmund, 248 Points)