Orban in action as Hoffenheim held to draw at home

In a hard-fought Bundesliga clash, TSG Hoffenheim and Heidenheim shared the spoils with a 1-1 draw at the PreZero Arena.

Hoffenheim took the lead through Haris Tabaković in the first half, but Heidenheim’s Budu Zivzivadze equalized after the break.

Nigerian forward Gift Orban, making his presence felt, was lively throughout, creating chances and keeping the visitors’ defense on edge. Despite late pressure from both sides, neither team could find a winner, leaving Hoffenheim hovering just above the relegation zone.

Hoffenheim opened the scoring in the 34th minute when Valentin Gendrey’s long throw was expertly headed in by Tabaković.

The hosts maintained momentum, with both Tabaković and Orban creating opportunities to extend the lead before halftime.

Heidenheim responded in the second half by introducing Zivzivadze, who replaced center-back Tim Siersleben at the break. This tactical change paid off in the 65th minute when Zivzivadze unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty box, leveling the score.

The visitors continued to press, with Marvin Pieringer and substitute Paul Wanner testing Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann. Despite Heidenheim’s dominance in the final 20 minutes, the match concluded without further goals.

This result leaves Hoffenheim in 13th place, ahead of Union Berlin on goal difference, while Heidenheim remains at the bottom of the Bundesliga table.