Third v fifth: Heidenheim host Kaiserslautern in 2. Bundesliga top clash
After the international break, Heidenheim and Kaiserslautern open the seventh round at 18:30 CEST. Heidenheim had won three in a row before the pause.
Archive image · Photo: Felix1846 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Germany's second division returns from the long international break with a clash between promotion contenders as 1. FC Heidenheim host 1. FC Kaiserslautern at the Voith-Arena on Friday evening, kicking off at 18:30 local time. Heidenheim, relegated from the Bundesliga last season, are third with 13 points, while Kaiserslautern sit fifth on 11. Heidenheim won three straight league games before the break and have scored 10 goals in three home matches. Kaiserslautern have one of the league's tightest defences, conceding just four goals, three of them at Magdeburg.
Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt called for aggression and strong duels after losing the ball, saying the game would be full-on. Schmidt has known Kaiserslautern coach Torsten Lieberknecht since their time with Germany's under-15 national team. Lieberknecht stressed the size of the task: "Heidenheim are a club relegated from the top flight."
The hosts are without Sirlord Conteh and Maximilian Breunig, according to the club, while returning internationals Vogt, Feller and Zivzivadze were to be assessed at short notice. Kaiserslautern said Kelven Frees, David Schramm and Owen Gibs are out, and Thierry Tazemeta was a doubt with back problems. Jan Elvedi, Jacob Rasmussen and Mika Haas are back.
Sources
- sportschau.de (SWR), „"Wird zur Sache gehen": Frank Schmidt warnt Heidenheim vor starkem FCK“, 08.10.2026
- Wochenblatt Reporter, „FC Heidenheim vor Duell mit Kaiserslautern: Schmidt fordert Präsenz“, 08.10.2026
- Der Betze brennt, „Die FCK-Lage vor Heidenheim: So geht es Tazemeta, Sauer, Haas, Asta, Elvedi, Rasmussen, Yardimci und Prtajin“, 07.10.2026
- liga-zwei.de, „Vorschau: 1. FC Heidenheim vs. 1. FC Kaiserslautern“, 09.10.2026