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Honsak’s brace ends Heidenheim’s 15-game winless run
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- Honsak’s brace ends Heidenheim’s 15-game winless run
Honsak's brace ends Heidenheim's 15-game winless run
Bundesliga's basement club, Heidenheim, put an end to their 15-game winless streak with a thoroughly deserving win over Union Berlin. Following recent 3-3 draws with Champions League hopefuls Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen, Frank Schmidt's troops continued their slight rise with a first win since the first week of December 2025.
Mathias Honsak was the star performer for the hosts with a first-half double. The 29-year-old ended his goal drought with a first-time finish from Marvin Pieringer's delivery down the left flank.
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He added the second ten minutes before the half-time break for his first Bundesliga brace. Honsak's second goal was also a smart finish following a move that started with a throw-in from Marnon-Thomas Busch.
Union Berlin improved after the break, but they failed to test Diant Ramaj with clear-cut chances until Andrej Ilic's effort in the 73rd minute. However, they did get one back from the resulting corner-kick as Leopold Querfeld left unmarked while Heidenheim tried to clear their box.
Four minutes later, substitute Budu Zivzivadze restored Heidenheim's two-goal lead with a superb strike. The Georgian denied a brace in injury-time for an offside decision, although they did complete the double over Union Berlin.
The crucial points narrowed the gap with the relegation playoff spot to six points for Heidenheim, with St. Pauli hosting champions-elect FC Bayern Munich later tonight.
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Union Berlin are now winless in their last three games, but the introduction of the 16-year-old Linus Guther wrote history as he became the second youngest Bundesliga debutant after Youssoufa Moukoko. The highly-rated winger, who celebrated his 16th birthday earlier this week, saw a booking only three minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Heidenheim will face Europa League quarter-finalists Freiburg next weekend, while Union Berlin host another relegation-threatened side, Wolfsburg.
