Buendia Scores Last-Gasp Winner to Keep Leverkusen’s Bundesliga Championship Dreams Afloat

Emiliano Buendia marked his debut for Bayer Leverkusen with a dramatic winner in the 91st minute, helping the Bundesliga champions secure a 1-0 victory over Heidenheim and continue their title defence.

Heidenheim had encountered a tough run, having lost all five of their home encounters against the Bundesliga’s top seven this season without finding the net. Faced with a Leverkusen side still reeling from an unexpected DFB-Pokal defeat by third-tier Arminia Bielefeld just days earlier, they viewed this match as a chance to turn their luck around.

Right from the outset, Frank Schmidt’s team looked more threatening, nearly taking the lead when Adrian Beck managed to create space on the left. However, he hesitated between crossing and shooting, ultimately failing to convert, much to the relief of the Leverkusen backline.

Die Werkself continued to struggle defensively, with Frans Kratzig also finding the same channel, but his effort missed the target. A significant scare for Leverkusen came in the 26th minute; a corner fell to Benedikt Gimber at the near post, and he demonstrated remarkable composure to attempt a shot, but was unlucky to see his effort hit both the crossbar and the post.

Heidenheim’s star forward Marvin Pieringer squandering two excellent opportunities underscored their frustration. However, an alert Leverkusen side reminded them of their own threat when Amine Adli fired just wide of the mark.

It was to be expected that Heidenheim, who had earned the least points at home of any Bundesliga side prior to the match, would find it challenging to maintain their attacking tempo after half-time.

Nevertheless, Xabi Alonso’s men failed to take advantage, managing not a single shot within the opening 25 minutes of the second half.

Leverkusen brought on their top scorer, Patrik Schick, in search of a victory that their performance didn’t seem to warrant, but it was fellow substitute Buendia who made the key difference. The Argentine conjured up a moment of brilliance, curling a stunning shot past Kevin Müller.

With this late twist, Leverkusen clinched a fourth consecutive win over Heidenheim, marked by yet another signature late goal, keeping them six points behind leaders Bayern. Meanwhile, Heidenheim’s defeat halted their run of three matches unbeaten, leaving them three points short of safety.