Guirassy’s double seals Dortmund comeback win over Heidenheim

The 29-year-old striker, who has struggled for form lately, struck twice in as many minutes to give Dortmund a 3-2 win over Heidenheim.

Borussia Dortmund have cut the gap from Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich down to six points after a nervy 3-2 win over 1.FC Heidenheim this evening. A second-half brace from Serhou Guirassy secured the important comeback victory for Niko Kovač’s side.

The visitors enjoyed a decent spell of the ball in the initial exchanges, while Dortmund often tried to unlock space down the right flank. The first chance of the game arrived after 15 minutes when Serhou Guirassy brushed off Patrick Mainka and tested Diant Ramaj. 

Heidenheim thought they had scored when Mainka bundled the ball home, but the whistle of Matthias Jöllenbeck has sounded for a foul. A minute later, a cross from the left found Eren Dinkçi who, despite lots of time, couldn’t squeeze his shot past an alert Gregor Kobel.

Shortly after Guirassy’s chip shot came back off the bar, the breakthrough arrived. A corner broken by Guirassy was hammered to the net by Waldemar Anton. Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt was aggrieved, feeling his goalkeeper Ramaj was impeded by the Guinean striker.

But the visitors from Baden-Württemberg would feel justice was served before the interval. Mathias Honsak took advantage of Filippo Mane pulling up with an injury. The Austrian delivered a ball for Julian Niehues to poke home at the second time of asking. 

Three minutes into the second-half, Niehues struck again giving Heidenheim a 2-1 lead. Half-time substitute Arijon Ibrahimovic spectacularly skipped past several tackles and raised his head to find the 24-year-old. His powerful drive found the net via a deflection off Svensson.

Just short of the hour mark, Heidenheim spurned a gilt-edged chance as Marvin Pieringer headed over from close range. Niko Kovač eventually looked to his bench, introducing Carney Chukwuemeka and Maxi Beier in place of Couto and Bellingham.

With greater urgency in their play, BVB grabbed a lifeline though a VAR call. Julian Brandt’s cross was handled in the box by Niklas Dorsch resulting in a penalty. With no Emre Can on the pitch, Guirassy managed to squeeze the spot-kick through Ramaj’s fingertips. 

This rip-roaring game swung back in favour of the Westphalians just seconds later. A switch of play released Beier on the right before picking out Guirassy who netted a quickfire brace on 70 minutes to make it 3-2 – his low drive creeping in at the near post of Ramaj. 

Soon it was Heidenheim’s turn to make a triple change. Guirassy’s night could’ve got better when BVB got a second penalty when Tim Siersleben clipped his ankles in the box late on. This time however, the hat-trick would escape the 29-year-old as he blazed over the bar. 

With tensions at an all-time high in Dortmund, the hosts had to hang on through 8 minutes of injury time. Heidenheim could have snatched a draw had Bayern loanee Ibrahimovic and Mikkel Kaufmann managed to steer their shots on target as Dortmund just about held on to win.