Stuttgart not at their best but victorious nonetheless | OneFootball

In difficult conditions, Sebastian Hoeneß’s team secured the points thanks to a composed finish from summer signing Bilal El Khannouss.

Stuttgart began as expected, dominating possession while Heidenheim sat deep and looked to threaten on the counter. Badredine Bouanani had the first clear opportunity for the hosts when a long throw from Lorenz Assignon released him into the box, but the Algerian dragged his effort just wide of Diant Ramaj’s far post - an early warning for the visitors.

However, their momentum was soon neutralised. Heidenheim grew into the game, finding more control and creating a good chance of their own as Mikkel Kaufmann’s snapshot was pushed away by Alexander Nübel. Jeff Chabot later tried his luck from distance, forcing Ramaj into a low save, but Stuttgart were largely restricted to efforts from range.

Some frustration could be heard from the stands as whistles accompanied a flat attacking display from Die Schwaben. Goalless at the break, Sebastian Hoeneß’s side faced plenty of work to find a breakthrough in the second half.

After the restart, the pattern remained the same - Stuttgart dominated possession but struggled to penetrate Heidenheim’s compact defensive shape. Hoeneß made a triple substitution in the 56th minute, seeking to inject fresh energy into his side.

As the rain intensified around the hour mark, Stuttgart began to increase the pressure and were rewarded shortly after. In the 65th minute, Bilal El Khannouss weaved through several defenders on the edge of the box before curling a precise shot inside the post past Ramaj to make it 1-0.

With Heidenheim chasing the game, Stuttgart remained in control and looked the more likely to score. The hosts managed possession well, circulated the ball patiently, and kept their opponents pinned back, though they again lacked precision in the final third - a recurring theme from the first half that prevented a more comfortable advantage.

Stuttgart continued to test Diant Ramaj with efforts from distance on the slick surface, but the Heidenheim goalkeeper held firm. The visitors enjoyed a brief spell of pressure late on, committing more players forward, yet failed to register a single shot on target in the second half. Stuttgart managed the closing stages calmly to secure a narrow 1-0 victory.

The result extends Stuttgart’s perfect home record in the league this season and lifts Sebastian Hoeneß’s side to fourth place heading into the international break. For Heidenheim, it was another disciplined defensive performance but one lacking attacking threat, leaving Frank Schmidt’s team 17th in the table ahead of Borussia Mönchengladbach’s match.