Frank Feller, 22, made only his second Bundesliga appearance of the season in Heidenheim’s 3-1 victory over Köln away from home. On the significant occasion, head coach Frank Schmidt opted to start the second-choice goalkeeper, who had missed the entire first half of the season due to injury.
“When we informed Diant (Ramaj) of our decision yesterday, he said he was expecting it,” Schmidt revealed after the match. “Then I asked if we could rely on him. He replied, ‘I count on you guys, too.’ That’s how we operate—we are a unit.”
Unfortunately, Ramaj conceded a 101st-minute equalizer against FC Bayern after Michael Olise’s strike hit his back following a rebound off the post. Feller could have done better to prevent Marius Bülter’s tight-angle shot for Köln’s goal, though his overall performance was solid.
“After going 3-1 up, we defended with clear purpose. Then came another crucial moment where Frank Feller made an excellent save from a header,” Schmidt added, praising the understudy.
“I’m always happy when I get to play,” Feller said after his fourth Bundesliga outing. “It felt a bit like a debut because it had been a while since my last game. I was also thrilled to play in front of such a crowd. My entire family was there,” said the goalkeeper, who joined the club at age 15.
Feller is expected to retain his spot for next week’s home match against Mainz. If Heidenheim overtakes Wolfsburg and St. Pauli—who play simultaneously—they will face the team finishing third in the 2. Bundesliga.