Brave Heidenheim beaten by Chelsea

Heidenheim 0-2 Chelsea
Goals 0-2 Nkunku 51', Mudryk 86'
Red card: Casadei 90+6'

Frank Schmidt's European debutants had the tale of their rise from the German sixth tier heard far and wide in the build-up to the match, and soon showed they are a match for the star-studded Chelsea squad with Mikkel Kaufmann poking the first effort of the night just wide when meeting a Léo Scienza cross in a great position. Paul Wanner then forced two strong saves from Filip Jörgensen in the Chelsea goal as Heidenheim continued to go toe-to-toe with the former European champions in the first half. An alert Kevin Müller made five saves at the other end as Marc Guiu and Nkunku went close to putting the visitors in front, but the lack of goals at the break were ultimately a fair reflection of the play in a hard-fought first period. 

Kaufmann looped another effort at Jörgensen within seconds of the restart only for Chelsea to strike an opener as two former Bundesliga stars combined. Jadon Sancho fed Nkunku in the box, who drove unstoppably past Müller. Lennard Maloney slid a shot wide at the far post from a cross and Scienza then curled an effort narrowly wide as the Bundesliga side made a brave effort to get back on level terms. Jörgensen then needed to make a double save as Wanner and Scienza had chances for a leveller within seconds. While Müller kept Heidenheim in it by denying Nkunku when through on goal, the run of the play went against the hosts. Substitute Maximilian Breunig had a headed goal ruled out for offside before Mykhailo Mudryk added a second from a Sancho cut-back and Breunig had another strike ruled out for offside. That Heidenheim won their opening three Conference League encounters before tonight leaves them in a strong position to still progress to the knockout rounds. 

Watch: Heidenheim's rise from the sixth tier to Europe

• Heidenheim’s record in Europe so far is five wins from six.
• Previously a player at the club, Schmidt took charge of Heidenheim on 17 September 2007, three days before José Mourinho left Chelsea for the first time.
• Maresca is the 21st coach to take charge of a Chelsea game (including interim and coaches with multiple tenures) since Schmidt took the Heidenheim helm.
• Nkunku, who has four goals in the Conference League this season, scored 47 times in 119 Bundesliga games for Leipzig and finished as the division’s joint-top scorer in 2022/23.
• Jadon Sancho scored 40 Bundesliga goals in 118 appearances for Borussia Dortmund.
• Chelsea have lost six of their 13 games away at German clubs, and having most recently lost 1-0 at Dortmund in the 2022/23 Champions League round of 16, got their first win in Germany since visiting Schalke in 2014/15.

Teams

Heidenheim: Müller - Traoré (Beck 68'), Mainka (c), Siersleben, Theuerkauf – Dorsch (Schöppner 56'), Maloney (Breunig 68') – Scienza, Wanner, Honsak (Conteh 56') – Kaufmann (Gimber 77')
Unued subs: Feller, Eicher, Busch, Schöppner, Föhrenbach, Kerber, Negele, Janes
Out: Keller (ineligible), Niehues (knee), Pieringer (achilles), Schimmer (ineligible), Thomalla (ineligible)
Coach: Frank Schmidt

Chelsea: Jörgensen - Disasi (c), Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Veiga – Sancho (George 90+2), Dewsbury-Hall (Rak-Sakyi 90+2), Casadei, Mudryk – Nkunku (Chukwuemeka 74'), Guiu (Félix 62')
Unued subs: Bergström, Sánchez, Colwill, Madueke, Dyer, Mheuka
Out: Bettinelli (ineligible), Chilwell (ineligible), Fofana (ineligible), Gusto (illness), James (thigh), Lavia (ineligible), Neto (other), Palmer (ineligible)
Coach: Enzo Maresca

As it happened!