2nd Bundesliga, 9th matchday
Bochum is still alive: trembling victory on coaching debut
Updated 10/18/2025 – 10:31 p.mReading time: 1 min.
VfL Bochum gets off to a furious start in the game against the capital club. In the second half the game takes an unexpected turn. The final phase will be dramatic.
VfL Bochum is still alive: The district club, which has been in acute crisis for weeks, won 3-2 (2-0) against Hertha BSC on matchday 9 and celebrated its first win after six defeats in a row on the debut of new coach Uwe Rösler. But VfL almost lost a 3-0 lead.
Michal Karbownik (13th, own goal) and Francis Onyeka (32nd, 60th) scored the goals for Bochum, the Berliners came close again through Luca Schuler (72nd) and a controversial penalty kick from Fabian Reese (80th).
Rösler had said before the game that he wanted to “achieve the turnaround as quickly as possible,” and the successor to the dismissed Dieter Hecking made four changes to the starting line-up. But luck helped at first: Karbownik steered the ball onto the crossbar with his shin during an attempt to clear the ball and ultimately into his own goal.
Then Onyeka turned it up: First the teenager hit the ball into the near corner, then after the break he made it 3-0 with a goal. These were the first goals as a professional for the German U18 international. In the end it got exciting again: First Schuler scored, then Reese converted a penalty that was his fault into his first goal of the season. Bochum keeper Timo Horn secured the victory in the 88th minute with a brilliant save against Linus Gechter.