“Can’t imagine it being any better.”

FC Heidenheim goal-scorers Eren Dinkçi and Jan-Niklas Beste were naturally in a joyous mood after securing their club’s historic first-ever top flight win at home on Saturday. 

Bundesliga debutants 1. FC Heidenheim found themselves facing some uncomfortable deja vu in front of their hometown fans on Sunday afternoon. Some three weeks ago trainer Frank Schmidt’s team appeared to be on course to celebrate their first ever top flight win, carrying a 2-0 lead over visiting TSG 1899 Hoffenheim into the 77th minute. A total collapse nevertheless ensured and the Alb Swabians dropped the the match 2-3 to the Sinsheimers.

For a time it looked as if the pattern would repeat itself. Visiting SV Werder Bremen were able to erase a 0-2 half-time deficit and draw level with their hosts with 26 minutes left to play. German attacker Jan-Niklas Beste was able to set up a second goal for his countrymen (and Bremen loanee) Eren Dinkçi, then net his own goal with the help of some great set-up work from Tim Kleindienst. Heidenheim ended up winning the match 4-2.

Beste expressed pride in his team afterwards.

“The first quarter of an hour in the second half was a disaster,” Beste told the DAZN mics afterwards, “[but it was] remarkable that we didn’t let our heads hang low. We scored the third and fourth. I saw Dinkçi with a narrow passing window. It was a load off my mind when he scored.”

Head-coach Schmidt also acknowledged that this team had let things get out of hand at the beginning of the second half. The FCH trainer used the same words as his attacker when describing how the match unfolded. The club’s long-time gaffer also had words of praise for Dinkçi.

“We started weakly in the second half,” the 49-year-old noted, “Bremen deserved to equalize. But then the decisive thing happened: We didn’t fold, our heads went up, we kept going and won the game with a lot of will and beautiful goals. It was an awesome game of football.”

“I’m so grateful that we have him,” Schmidt continued when asked about Dinkçi, “He’s an outstanding footballer who can work on deep drops and is very efficient. For us, he’s a really good reinforcement.”

Dinkçi himself was overcome with joy at discussing his scorer’s brace. The 21-year-old doubled his overall total of top flight goals in a single afternoon. He netted one tally for Florian Kohfeldt’s Werder during the 2020/21 relegation campaign, adding his second Bundesliga tally against Dortmund last week.

“My first brace,” Dinkçi beamed when speaking to the DAZN mics, “against Bremen of all teams. In front of a full crowd. My whole family, my girlfriend, and my best friends were there. It couldn’t have been better. I can’t imagine it being any better.”

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