When things get as close up and down as well as in the European Cup race as on the 34th match day of the Bundesliga, joy and sorrow are close together. VfL Bochum, who managed to stay up in the league with a 3-0 (2-0) home win against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, can provide information about the “Freud”. Leverkusen were only spared the “suffering” because they defended their sixth place despite the defeat.
Amine Adli had a completely unnecessary part in the Bayer defeat, who kicked Dominique Heintz and saw the red card after a review by the video referee (8th minute).
Forester refines cross from Asano
When the intermediate results of the rivals in the fight against relegation – Schalke, Stuttgart and Augsburg – also played into Bochum’s cards and Philipp Förster volleyed a cross from the strong Japanese Takuma Asano at the far post into the Bayer goal (19th minute), the confidence in the Bochum stadium could no longer be ignored.
Despite being outnumbered, Leverkusen had chances through Moussa Diaby (23rd minute) and Sardar Azmoun (27th minute). However, Diaby went just wide and Azmoun’s finish was easy prey for Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann. Then Bochum put in an intermediate spurt, in which Asano initially just missed the goal (32′), before he volleyed from close range after a corner from Kevin Stöger to make it 2-0 (34′).
Leverkusen missed early connection hit
After the change of sides, Bochum was concerned with preventing an early goal and thus an encouragement for the guests. VfL had the necessary luck in the 50th minute when Florian Wirtz and Diaby had a clear run after Bochum’s Erhan Mašović slipped, but frittered away the chance.
Bochum were even luckier when the inside post saved for them. Jeremie Frimpong hit him after a one-two with Wirtz. However, the ball didn’t bounce off the aluminum goal into the VfL goal, but instead rolled out to the left without increasing the home side’s concerns about relegation (62′).
Leverkusen benefits from Hertha victory
Leverkusen didn’t develop more penetrating power in the final sprint, but even conceded the 0:3 (86th) through Stöger shortly before the end. But they were lucky that Hertha from Berlin, who had already been relegated, turned the game around at VfL Wolfsburg after being 1-0 down and secured sixth place in the table for Bayer.
After the final whistle, two teams were able to celebrate a successful end to the season, although only Bochum scored points.
“I’m totally happy”said VfL coach Letsch after the game on the sports show microphone, “I think we deserve it. Bochum is a special location.” “We can play in Europe again”summed up his Bayer colleague Alonso, “In October we were in a difficult situation. We’ve done well in the last three or four months.”
How happy Leverkusen will be with sixth place ultimately depends on the outcome of the DFB Cup final between RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt on June 3rd. If the Saxons qualified for the premier class win, the sixth will also play in the Europa League and the seventh in the playoffs for the Conference League. If Frankfurt solves the Europa League ticket by beating RB, the sixth will compete in the Conference League.