BERLIN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Paul Wanner's late goal secured a 2-1 victory for Heidenheim over Ljubljana in their UEFA Conference League debut on Thursday.
The Bundesliga side quickly seized control, taking the lead after just six minutes when Sirlord Conteh set up Adrian Beck to score the first goal in Heidenheim's Conference League history.
Heidenheim remained on the offensive but missed an opportunity to double their lead soon after, as Niklas Dorsch shot wide from a promising position in the 15th minute. Despite dominating possession, the home side struggled to carve out clear scoring chances, resorting to long-distance efforts against the deeply defending Slovenian team. Leonardo Scienza came close to doubling the lead but saw his shot strike the left post.
After the break, Heidenheim's long-range attempts continued to be their primary threat. Scienza narrowly missed on 53 minutes, and Ljubljana began to gain a foothold, with a corner kick hitting the post around the hour mark.
Heidenheim were punished for their missed opportunities in the 77th minute when substitute Alex Blanco headed home a pinpoint cross from Marko Brest, leveling the score for Ljubljana.
However, the visitors' celebration was short-lived, as Peter Agba's handball in the penalty area gifted Heidenheim a chance to reclaim the lead. Wanner's initial penalty attempt was saved by goalkeeper Matevz Vidovsek, but he made a skillful finish on the rebound to secure the 2-1 victory.
Ljubljana pressed for a late equalizer, but Heidenheim's defense held strong to secure all three points on home soil.
The win lifts Heidenheim to 13th place in the table, marking their first European victory, while Ljubljana drops to 22nd.
"It was hard work at the end. We had a lot of chances in the first half and should have scored the second. We reacted well after the equalizer. We could have made things easier," said Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt. ■
