"Adeyemi Show" rolls on as Dortmund hand Heidenheim first defeat

Four-times-capped German international Karim Adeyemi's renaissance continues after the 22-year-old helped his German club team Borussia Dortmund hand 1. FC Heidenheim their first loss in six competitive fixtures in the current 2024/25 cycle. Adeyemi followed up both a brace and a hat-trick for country over the international break with a brace for club in Dortmund's 4-2 win over Heidenheim in Friday night's Bundesliga Round Three curtain-raiser. The Munich-native was involved in thre goals for Nuri Sahin's BVB, also registering assist in front of the Signal Iduna Park crowd.

Sahin employed a full five changes to the team that could only manage a goalless draw against Werder Bremen in the last league round before the international break. Marquee summer addition Serhou Guirassy was deemed fit enough to finally make his BVB debut. As it turned out, Guirassy was able to debut as a starter, replacing Maximillian Beier at the top of the constellation. The four other changes saw Adeyemi, Felix Nmecha, Donyell Malen, and Ramy Bensebaini replace Emré Can, Jamie Gittens, Marcel Sabitzer and the suspended Nico Schlotterbeck. 

Sahin's tactics saw the 3-4-3 in use since the Pokal shift to a 4-2-3-1. Bensebaini and Julian Ryerson bookended Sahin's very first starting back-four. Julian Brandt served as a ten flanked by Malen and Adeyemi behind Guirassy whilst Nmecha paired with Pascal Groß in midfield in his starting debut for his new coach. FCH trainer Schmidt - following the 4-0 victory over Augsburg in the last league round - naturally didn't see a reason to change anything and rolled out the exact same XI. 

A bright start from the Westphalian hosts translated into a relatively quick opening goal. Adeyemi collected the assist following a sharp set up of Malen in the penalty area after Groß skillfully played the Germany U21 star through on the left in the 12th. Some five minutes later, it was Adeyemi himself who would double the advantage. Ryerson and Malen did well to get the ball up the pitch rapidly on a 17th minute counter. Adeyemi punched home the 2-0 with his weaker right foot after a nice square from Brandt.

Schmidt's Albogeners - who did overcome a 0-2 deficit in their last visit to Signal Iduna Park last autumn - kept their nerve and slowly worked their way back into the match. Heidenheim were able to achieve some penetration on Bensebaini's side and got Dortmund to turn the ball over with a strong press on a few occasions. The hosts still largely looked in control of the match until the 1-2 came in the 39th.

A quick one-two between Paul Wanner and Omar Haktab Traoré off a throw-in ultimately led to Marvin Pieringer polishing off a long ball amid some suspect marking from Waldemar Anton. Two minutes after that, however, Adeyemi restored the two-goal cushion. Adeyemi beat both marker Patrick Manila and FCH keeper Kevin Müller with a clever finish of a Ryerson cross. Guirassy himself proved smooth in leaving the service for Adeyemi.

Schmidt reacted to the half-time deficit by bringing new Bundesliga speed record holder Sirlord Conteh on in place of Adrian Beck. The change did little to alter the tenor of the match, with Dortmund taking full advantage of the much larger spaces between the FCH back-line and midfield. Malen, Guirassy, and Adeyemi came close to scoring amid the unrelenting waves of BVB pressure. 

Shortly after his introduction in the 63rd, Sabitzer thought he had netted the 4-1. A 66th-minute tally was nevertheless disallowed due to a Groß handle in the lead-up. Two minutes after that, Guirassy somehow missed out on his debut goal for his new club when keeper Müller almost accidentally blocked an acrobatic tricycle finish. Some questionable refereeing then threatened to swing the match. 

A controversial penalty call in the 72nd then gifted the BaWü guests a way back into the match. Niklas Süle was ruled to have fouled FCH sub Mikkel Kaufmann just inside the area. Match official Robert Schröder immediately pointed to the spot even though it looked as if Süle's contract was fairly minimal. Matthias Breunig converted the 2-3 from the spot. 

The match maintained plenty of pace in the final quarter-of-an-hour as Schmidt's side went in search of a late equalizer. The tension remained thick until an Omar Haktab Traoré handball penalty at the start of second half injury time enabled Sahin's team to put the game to bed. BVB skipper Can, brought on for the final ten minutes, slotted him the 4-2 from the spot at 90+4.