VfL Bochum has performed well against SC Freiburg – but there were no points. The guests won the guests on the 20th matchday of the Bundesliga.
Kiliann Sildillia and his header made the decisive goal (24th minute) to 1-0 (1: 0) away win. Bochum had more of the game over large parts of the game and scored some good chances, but failed either because of himself or Freiburg’s goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
After seven points from the three previous home games, the team of coach Dieter Hecking was defeated in front of their own audience for the first time. Because nine out of ten games have so far been lost abroad, the situation is becoming more hopeless again after the upswing. Freiburg meanwhile ended a series of three defeats.
Best at Freiburg not yet in the squad
With both teams, the new additions were initially missing. Ex-Schalker Tom Krauss, loaned by Mainz 05 until the end of the season, was on the bench at VfL for over an hour before he made his debut. Jan-Niklas Best, signed by Benfica Lisbon for eight million euros, was not yet part of the squad at the sports club. Nevertheless, there were four changes in the starting XI on both sides.
The 26,000 spectators in the Ruhr Stadium got little: instead of high pressing, both teams defended rather conservatively, but they couldn’t do anything with time and space in the game structure. Dangerous goal scenes? Initially failed. It was only when the game ball went out of air that it got a little better with a new one: Gerrit Holtmann hit the crossbar of the Freiburg Gate (21st), Moritz Broschinski missed the long corner (29).
Bochum in front of the gate too inconsistent
The gate fell – a little surprising – on the other: After a corner of captain Christian Günter, Sildillia headed. After the break there was initially a Bochum rearing, instead the guests had the chance to 2-0.
First Eren Dinkci failed to VfL keeper Patrick Drewes (58.), then Bochum’s defender Iwan Ordez saved on the line (61.). Finally, Hecking Krauss moved (64th), whose flank led to Philipp Hofmann (71.) – and the hosts added a gear again, but it was no longer enough to compensate.
Bochum in Kiel, Freiburg against Heidenheim
Freiburg’s next opponent is the 1st FC Heidenheim (February 8th, 3:30 p.m.). VfL Bochum must exist in Kiel (09.02., 3:30 p.m.).