Hertha BSC vs 1. FC Heidenheim: 2. Bundesliga Round 2 Preview
Hertha BSC welcome 1. FC Heidenheim for a Matchday 2 fixture in the 2. Bundesliga on 15 August 2026. The capital club are still searching for their first league victory after a turbulent summer of departures, while Heidenheim arrive fresh from a spectacular opening-day win.
Hertha BSC Team News and Injury Latest
Gustav Christensen is expected to be Hertha’s only confirmed absentee. The bigger concern is a squad stripped of experience: captain Fabian Reese, goalkeeper Tjark Ernst, defender Kennet Eichhorn and midfielder Michael Cuisance are among 14 players to have left the club. Financial limitations have restricted new arrivals to a single loan signing, Burnley winger Oluwaseun Adewumi. The one player generating excitement is 18‑year‑old Boris Mamuzah Lum, who could make his first competitive start in midfield after impressing in pre‑season.
Heidenheim Form Guide and Predicted Lineup
Relegated from the Bundesliga last season, Heidenheim began life in the second tier with a bang, beating promoted VfL Osnabrück in a seven‑goal thriller on Matchday 1. Frank Schmidt’s side may have lost several key faces during the summer, but the club legend remains at the helm and has already shown his team can be devastating in attack. The likely XI (4‑2‑3‑1): Feller – Mhamdi, Mainka, Gimber, Föhrenbach – Schöppner, Kerber – Hennrich, Beck, Honsak – Zivzivadze.
Key Battle: Hertha’s Rebuilt Defence vs Zivzivadze
With Gechter and Dardai expected to anchor the back four in front of goalkeeper Gersbeck, Hertha’s central defenders face an immediate test. Heidenheim’s Budu Zivzivadze leads the line and will look to exploit any hesitation in a defence that has barely played together competitively. If Lum can shield the backline effectively, Hertha might just contain the visitors’ direct style.
What’s Next
A positive result here would give Hertha much‑needed stability after a summer of upheaval, while Heidenheim will view back‑to‑back wins as a statement of promotion intent in a division that also includes heavyweight Wolfsburg.