HSV fights for controversial cup victory in Heidenheim – Schmidt’s anger!

HSV fights for controversial cup victory in Heidenheim – Schmidt’s anger!

Hamburger SV won 1-0 against 1. FC Heidenheim in a memorable DFB Cup game on October 29, 2025. It was HSV's first win in the club's history in Heidenheim and takes Hamburg to the round of 16 of the cup. But the course of the game not only brought joy for Hamburg, but also a lot of discussion about a controversial penalty whistle.

In the 83rd minute, HSV was led to victory by a goal from Robert Glatzel, which came about due to a questionable penalty whistle. The referee Benjamin Brand awarded a penalty after Fabio Vieira went down in a duel with Julian Niehues. Heidenheim's coach Frank Schmidt was visibly upset about this decision and emphasized after the game that there had been no contact. His assessment of the situation was underlined by the yellow-red card he received during the game.

The course of the game

HSV started with two early chances on the pitch: Miro Muheim failed with a deflected shot in the 3rd minute, followed by a missed opportunity from Ransford Königsdörffer in the 7th minute. Despite this early activity, HSV failed to make the most of their advantage after Heidenheim's Tim Siersleben was sent off in the 44th minute. Heidenheim, who had to play outnumbered for more than half, were able to hold their own against Hamburg.

The first half was quiet for HSV goalkeeper Daniel Peretz, who had little to do, while Heidenheim struggled to set an offensive tone. The game picked up pace in the second half, especially when Heidenheim had a dangerous counterattack chance through Marvin Pieringer in the 78th minute. Despite all their efforts and a committed final spurt, the Heidenheimers were unable to equalize, which left them bitterly disappointed.

Reactions and discussions

The reactions to the penalty goal were varied. Frank Schmidt was visibly disappointed and made the referee's decision the focus of his criticism. Ex-HSV player Sonny Kittel took the opportunity to point out in a sarcastic Instagram post that there was a similar decision in a past game that helped Heidenheim gain promotion. Kittel's comment received more than 3,000 likes and reflects the state of mind of many fans.

Overall, the game was characterized by intense emotions and heated debates about the referee's whistle, while HSV can look forward to the next round of the DFB Cup. Heidenheim, however, missed their chance for revenge and will certainly have a lot to work on after the game.

For more details on the game and reactions from those involved, check out the coverage from Picture and Sports show.