Heidenheim and Elversberg draw 2-2 in Bundesliga playoff first leg

HEIDENHEIM, Germany (AP) — Two overachieving clubs clashed for a place in the Bundesliga and neither could strike a decisive blow.

Top-tier Heidenheim and second-division Elversberg drew 2-2 in the first leg of their relegation/promotion playoff on Thursday, leaving the contest finely poised before the second leg in Elversberg on Monday.

“Everything open,” Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt said.

Heidenheim, which was only promoted to the top division in 2023 after an unlikely ascent through the lower leagues, finished third from bottom in the Bundesliga this season when it also had to contend with European competition after its eighth-place finish last year.

Elversberg, which was still playing at fourth-tier level three years ago, finished third in the second division to earn its shot in the playoff.

It was a duel between modest clubs with the longest-serving coaches in German professional soccer. Schmidt took over in Heidenheim on Sept. 17, 2007, while his Elversberg counterpart Horst Steffen took charge on Oct. 29, 2018.

Steffen led the team from the fourth-tier regional league, clinching promotion to the third division in 2022, then to the second as third-division champion a year later, before earning the shot at Bundesliga promotion this year.

Heidenheim made the better start and missed good chances before Lukas Petkov struck for the visitors in the 18th minute, and Fisnik Asllani finished off a well-worked team move to make it 2-0 in the 42nd.

Omar Haktab Traoré thought he’d pulled one back for Heidenheim before the break, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR check found an offside player involved in the buildup.

Schmidt reacted with three changes at the interval.

Tim Siersleben pulled a goal back on a rebound in the 62nd, and Mathias Honsak equalized three minutes later.

The home team finished strongly as the visitors tired, but neither team could claim an advantage before the second leg in Elversberg.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Heidenheim's Niklas Dorsch, front, tries to score past Elversberg goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof during a Bundesliga relegation playoff first leg soccer match between FC Heidenheim and SV Elversberg, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Heidenheim, Germany. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Heidenheim's Frans Krätzig, left, and Elversberg's Tom Zimmerschied battle for the ball during a Bundesliga relegation playoff first leg soccer match between FC Heidenheim and SV Elversberg, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Heidenheim, Germany. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Heidenheim's Mathias Honsak, center, celebrates after his goal during a Bundesliga relegation playoff first leg soccer match between FC Heidenheim and SV Elversberg, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Heidenheim, Germany. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Elversberg's Lukas Petkov, left, celebrates with Semih Sahin (r) after scoring during a Bundesliga relegation playoff first leg soccer match between FC Heidenheim and SV Elversberg, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Heidenheim, Germany. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

Heidenheim's Omar Traore, left, and Elversberg's Robin Fellhauer battle for the ball during a Bundesliga relegation playoff first leg soccer match between FC Heidenheim and SV Elversberg, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Heidenheim, Germany. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)

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The FIFA logo is displayed on a World Cup countdown timer outside BC Place stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Monday, May 4, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)