Hertha BSC made it two wins from two in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga with a convincing 4:1 victory over 1. FC Heidenheim, and the manner of it underlined just how quickly Stefan Leitl has settled his team. Even after numerous departures before the season, Hertha kept their clean record intact and again looked organised, direct and decisive.
The result followed their 1:0 win at VfL Bochum on the opening weekend, while 1. FC Heidenheim arrived having beaten VfL Osnabrück 4:3 on matchday one. This time, though, Hertha had the game under control by half-time, going in 3:0 ahead against the Bundesliga relegated side and leaving little doubt about the direction of the contest.
Hertha strike early and keep control
The pattern was set inside the 2nd minute, when Hertha took the lead and immediately put Heidenheim under pressure. They doubled the advantage in the 26th minute and then made it 3:0 by the 35th minute, turning the match into one they could manage rather than chase.
That kind of start matters at any level, but especially early in a season when teams are still trying to find rhythm. Hertha looked sharp, compact and ready to punish hesitation, which is exactly the sort of response Stefan Leitl will have wanted after a summer marked by change.
Heidenheim's response comes too late
Jan Schöppner pulled one back for 1. FC Heidenheim in the 49th minute, but it never felt like the sort of goal that would truly shift the momentum. Hertha were already in command and had enough control to absorb the setback.
The closing stages only strengthened that impression. Deyovaisio Zeefuik was sent off in the 88th minute, yet even that did not open the door for Heidenheim. Instead, Hertha finished the job in the 90th minute when Oluwaseun Adewumi scored their fourth goal.
For Hertha, this was more than a strong result. It was another clean, authoritative performance that keeps their start perfect and suggests Leitl's side are building early confidence in a league where momentum can matter quickly. Heidenheim, by contrast, were left to reflect on how badly they were opened up before half-time and how little they were able to do once Hertha had established control.
The next question is whether Hertha can carry this level into the weeks ahead. For now, the answer is simple: two matches, two wins, and a side that has made a very strong Bundesliga statement already.
