The VfB Stuttgart secured a 1-0 victory over 1. FC Heidenheim in the Baden-Württemberg derby on the sixth matchday of the Bundesliga, solidifying their position in the upper half of the table at fourth place. Heidenheim remains in the relegation zone, currently ranked 17th.
The match was characterized by a slow-paced first half, with Stuttgart initially dominating possession but struggling to translate that advantage into clear scoring opportunities. An early chance for Stuttgart fell to Badredine Bouanani in the sixth minute, but he fired just past the far post. Heidenheim took approximately 20 minutes to find their rhythm, with Mikkel Kaufmann forcing a save from Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel with a close-range effort – their only threatening attack of the first period. Numerous errors in passing and a general lack of tempo defined the first 45 minutes, with both teams effectively neutralizing each other in midfield.
The second half witnessed an improved performance from Stuttgart. Manager Sebastian Hoeneß introduced fresh legs in the form of Angelo Stiller, Tiago Tomás and Ameen Al-Dakhil, immediately injecting more structure into the team’s play. The breakthrough came in the 65th minute when Maximilian Mittelstädt found Bilal El Khannouss in a promising position. The Moroccan navigated past two defenders and calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Diant Ramaj into the bottom right corner from 16 meters.
The goal seemed to revitalize Stuttgart, who pressed for a second. Leweling, Demirović and Stiller all had opportunities to extend their lead, though the team proved somewhat wasteful in front of goal. 1. FC Heidenheim struggled to create attacking opportunities, only posing a fleeting threat late in the game when Schimmer headed over the crossbar in the 90+4th minute.
Stuttgart effectively managed the remainder of the match, maintaining possession and comfortably seeing out the victory. Heidenheim appeared fatigued, unable to mount a sustained challenge. The result marks a deserved win for Stuttgart, who demonstrated greater control after the interval, thanks to El Khannouss’s impressive goal. Heidenheim, while defending resolutely, ultimately lacked the offensive power needed to seriously threaten Stuttgart.
