Heidenheim finds a way to end Victor Sanchez’s dream streak: Olimpija sell their skin dearly and lose miserably in Germany
Optimism was at a high level; when you have **17 matches without a loss**, it can’t be any other way. The fans also believed that the dream run could continue, with **more than 600** of them traveling to **Germany** for the match! However, despite their excellent form and another high-level performance, Olimpija had to concede to their opponent this time. **Victor Sanchez** finally lost, though a defeat against a **Bundesliga** club is no shame. Still, the **Spaniard** will undoubtedly be thinking about the last 10 minutes of the match for a long time. Heidenheim secured the victory with a good deal of luck, and some would say, with the **help of the referee**. The thrilling game ended 2-1 for the hosts.
Things might have been different if Olimpija had managed to neutralize the German top-tier team at the start. It was expected that Heidenheim would approach the battle very determinedly, and that’s exactly what happened. This surprised no one. However, it’s also true that Olimpija simply wasn’t well enough prepared for the **initial blitzkrieg** of the home team.
Heidenheim took the lead after just six minutes of play, when the red team outplayed Olimpija’s defense on the right wing. It was a really beautiful team action, with the ball circulating excellently among Olimpija’s defenders, and in the end, the player who started the action on the right wing managed to shoot and score. **Adrian Beck**, after expertly beating **Marcel Ratnik**, who missed his mark, scored with a perfectly placed shot inside the penalty area, leaving **Matevž Vidovšek** helpless.
In the 24th minute, the **Spaniard** on the visitor’s bench had to make the first substitution. **Reda Boultam** sat down on the ground, and it quickly became clear that he wouldn’t be able to continue due to an injury. **Alex Blanco** came on as his replacement.
However, it was Matevž Vidovšek who kept Olimpija alive for the remainder of the first half. The Dragons’ goalkeeper performed confidently and reliably during some dangerous actions by the hosts, stopping two of their very dangerous shots. The home players were consistently too fast, too strong, and too skillful for the members of the Slovenian top-tier team, who only started to find their rhythm toward the end of the game. They managed to create some promising chances, especially after a play involving **Dino Kojić** and a shot by **Raul Florucz**, but the score remained unchanged.
Olimpija equalized but immediately conceded again
Heidenheim dominated in the second half as well, but they were far from as dominant as they had been. Possession was still largely in their favor, but Olimpija also launched several dangerous attacks, and around the hour mark, they came close to scoring when **Jorge Silva** hit the post with a shot. What the Portuguese couldn’t do, the **Spaniard** managed in the 77th minute.
Olimpija executed an excellent play: after a long pass from Vidovšek, the visitors won the aerial duel, and with the defense spread thin, **Marko Brest** got the ball. The winger excelled in a one-on-one situation, outplayed Heidenheim’s defender, and delivered a cross to the front of the goal, where **Alex Blanco** was left completely unmarked. The substitute headed the ball into the empty net to equalize!
But Ljubljana’s joy was short-lived. Just three minutes later, the referees ruled that **Peter Agba** had handled the ball in his own penalty area, and Heidenheim was awarded a penalty. Victor Sanchez couldn’t accept the decision, and his protests earned him a yellow card. **Paul Wanner**, the 18-year-old Austrian player on loan from **Bayern**, failed to score with his left foot, as Vidovšek made an incredible save. However, the home team’s teenager got lucky. The ball rebounded straight back to him, and on his second attempt, he didn’t miss.
A few moments later, there was another handball incident in Olimpija’s penalty area, and referee **Enea Jorgji** from **Albania** stopped the play and reviewed the footage. Many believed Heidenheim would get another penalty, but that wasn’t the case. Olimpija was given one last chance to equalize, but despite the Dragons’ pressure, the German top-tier team’s net remained untouched. **Marko Brest** had a golden opportunity in the final minute, sending a powerful shot toward the goal, only to hit one of the home defenders in the head! Ljubljana’s team fell but sold their skin dearly, leaving a more than solid impression. Let’s not forget, Heidenheim is a club that impresses even in the elite **Bundesliga**…
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet