Schmidt after Heidenheim’s late collapse: “Like a bad dream.”

After their team squandered an excellent opportunity to capture their first ever win in the German top flight, 1. FC Heidenheim trainer Frank Schmidt and goal-scorer Jan-Niklas Best were left to ponder what might have been. 

Newly promoted 1. FC Heidenheim appeared to be on their way towards winning their first ever Bundesliga match in front of a sold-out home crowd at the Voith Arena on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, the BaWü borderers were unable to hold off neighbors TSG 1899 Hoffenheim; not even carrying a 2-0 lead into the 75th minute. The visiting Kraichgauer scored three unanswered goals and the wait for Heidenheim must continue.

“I don’t have any explanations at the moment,” FCH trainer Frank Schmidt noted in consternation during his Sky interview shortly after the full-time whistle, “It was a bit like being in a bad dream. We played a really good game. The 2-0 wasn’t fitting. We could have been up 3-0 or 4-0. Even if had ended 2-2, I wouldn’t have been satisfied.”

“Madness that we lost,” Schmidt continued, “We could have also equalized [on a late Philipp Mainka chance in injury time]. We did something wrong in the build-up. I can’t explain it any other way. We’re happy to be in the Bundesliga, but must do better to remain in it.”

One player who did have a chance to ensure that Heidenheim built up a larger lead was attacker Jan-Niklas Beste. The 24-year-old missed a penalty in the 16th. Though he would later atone for his error with the fames opening goal ten minutes later, the Bundesliga debutant echoed his coach’s sentiments.

“We played a great game for 75 minutes, but that’s just not enough in the Bundesliga,” Beste told his interviewer, “and then you lose a game like that, where you think you have everything under control. We have to work on this and learn from such games.”

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