Amiri the difference as Mainz hold off Heidenheim | OneFootball

Mainz off the bottom of the table after nervy win against Heidenheim

Nadiem Amiri helped Mainz secure their first win under Urs Fischer, lifting them off the bottom of the table at Heidenheim's expense in a tense relegation scrap.

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Mainz 2-1 HeidenheimGoals: 1-0 Widmer 30’ (assist: Lee), 2-0 Amiri 49’ (assist: Tietz), 2-1 Schimmer 60’

The pressure was immense for both sides at the MEWA Arena as bottom club Mainz hosted second-from-bottom Heidenheim in a genuine relegation six-pointer. The home side went into the match without a league win in 12 games, though they had shown signs of improvement under new coach Urs Fischer with three consecutive draws. 

For Heidenheim, defensive frailties had been their undoing, with Frank Schmidt's men yet to keep a clean sheet all season and possessing the worst defensive record in the Bundesliga with 38 goals conceded.

Widmer breaks the deadlock

The opening exchanges were understandably tense, with Heidenheim enjoying more possession but creating little of note. Mainz gradually grew into the contest, with Nikolas Veratschnig forcing a spectacular save from Diant Ramaj in the ninth minute.

The breakthrough came on the half-hour mark when Jae-sung Lee capitalised on a poor clearance from Ramaj and crossed for Silvan Widmer to volley home from inside the box. The hosts nearly doubled their advantage before the break when Phillip Tietz headed narrowly wide from Kohr's cross.

Stefan Bell rises highest to win a header against Mikkel Kaufmann, typifying Mainz's defensive determination that helped them secure three vital points. (Alex Grimm)

Amiri strikes, Schimmer responds

Mainz came flying out of the blocks after the restart and doubled their lead just four minutes into the second half. Amiri exchanged a clever one-two with Tietz before firing a clinical volley past Ramaj to make it 2-0. The hosts should have put the game beyond doubt shortly after, but Ramaj produced a stunning save to deny Armindo Sieb, before Widmer squandered another golden opportunity.

Those misses proved costly when Heidenheim halved the deficit on the hour mark. Stefan Schimmer, introduced just two minutes earlier, capitalised on a save from Daniel Batz following Arijon Ibrahimović's shot to slot home from close range.

Nervy finish for Fischer's men

The goal energised the visitors, with the lively Ibrahimović becoming increasingly influential. Mainz were forced to defend deeper as the match wore on, and they survived a major scare in the 85th minute when Ibrahimović's deflected effort struck the crossbar with Batz beaten.

Despite Heidenheim throwing everything forward in the closing stages, including five minutes of added time, the hosts held firm to secure their first win since February 2025 at the MEWA Arena. The victory lifted Mainz above Heidenheim in the table, giving Fischer's men a significant boost in their battle against relegation.

Man of the Match: Nadiem Amiri

Nadiem Amiri delivered a performance that underlined his importance to Mainz's survival hopes. The midfielder's goal – a clinical finish following a clever one-two with Tietz – proved decisive, but his overall contribution went far beyond that.

With four shots throughout the match and the highest pressure index among Mainz players (19), Amiri was at the heart of everything good about the hosts' display. His pass efficiency was also impressive, keeping Mainz moving forward whenever they broke Heidenheim's press. No wonder the 29-year-old received 58% of the vote to claim the Man of the Match award.

Bundesliga Match FactsxGoals: Mainz 1.62 - Heidenheim 1.69Fastest player: Arijon Ibrahimović (FCH), 34.63 km/hLowest goal probability: 2-0 by Nadiem Amiri (M05), 12 percentMost pressed player: Nadiem Amiri (M05), 19 times under pressurePass efficiency: Stefan Bell (M05), +2.49

Fantasy Heroes: Nadiem Amiri (1. FSV Mainz 05, 301 Points), Phillip Tietz (1. FSV Mainz 05, 262 Points), Arijon Ibrahimović (1. FC Heidenheim 1846, 262 Points)

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