Borussia Dortmund received the next defeat in the Bundesliga at VfL Bochum – it is the ninth on matchday 22, only 11th place. The replacement weakened Bochumer from Dieter Hecking in the Bundesliga won 2-0 on Saturday (2-0).
A double strike by Georgios Masouras was responsible for the Bochum victory in halftime one in half time, in which he had active help from BVB. The Greek, switched from Olympiacos Piraeus to VfL in winter, pressed a shot from Philipp Hofmann, who in all likelihood would have gone into the goal by itself. Since BVB keeper Gregor Kobel had brought the shoe to the ball, the center forward was on the safe side (33rd minute).
Niklas Süle only affected a complete dropout two minutes later when he played back the ball in distress, but did this with far too little precision and swing and thus played the ball perfectly into the run of the lurking Bochum attacker. He again gave no chance (35th) with a Lupfer Kobel. Süle had come back to the black and yellow after a long injury break, but visibly suffered from a lack of match practice.
“It is difficult to have an explanation for it”said Kobel after the game about the sports show, “We knew what was coming. The coach prepared us exactly. They are super aggressive, try to press. We were not surprised, but we still couldn’t stop it.” “It was emotional for me today to be in the goal again in the Bundesliga”said Horn on the ARD microphone, “I am incredibly grateful to VfL that I was able to show myself here again.” And he added: “I was able to help the team well in one scene, and I am incredibly proud of the entire performance of the team.”
Horn with Bundesliga comeback for Bochum
At that time, Timo Horn had shown in the host’s goal that he had not forgotten anything in Bundesliga in three years. When Serhou Guirassy let Masovic get out with a hook and pulled off from eleven meters free -standing, the experienced keeper suspected the shot and showed a top parade against the Dortmund center forward (11th). Previously, Masouras had failed with a shooting attempt on Kobel (4th). Also shortly before the break, Guirassy left at least the safe balance in two thick chances.
Horn had not received a new contract in the summer of 2023 after twelve years at the 1st FC Köln, and in the summer of 2024 by RB Salzburg moved to Bochum as a replacement goalkeeper.
Bochum Verhable replacement
Bochum’s coach Dieter Hecking had to do without four regular players: Patrick Drewes, Maximilian Wittek, Felix Passlack and top striker Myron Boadu had to fit. Nevertheless, the hosts, which are strongly threatened by the descent, showed almost no voting difficulties.
Dortmund tried to stability, but despite the success in the Champions League at Sporting Lisbon, it was not excessively confident and, above all, showed a veritable final weakness.
BVB leaves chance for chance
In the second phase of Horn, it was once again a shot from Julian Brandt, which concluded far too centrally from the turn.
Dortmund hung the awarded three chances of Guirassy and the help of Süle like lead in the clothes. For this, the hosts used the space that the large Ruhr area neighbor made: Tom Krauss served Gerrit Holtmann, who took too much time for the end. Karim Adeyemi was able to disturb and clarify the goblin.
Dortmund’s Kobel prevents third Masouras hits
And Kobel continued to show everything that makes him the top goalor: With a lightning reflex, he prevented the third goal from Masouras, who this time had “left” the ball (69.).
But what Dortmund’s new coach Niko Kovac tried – it didn’t fruit. Maxi Beier, taken into the game for Jamie Gitten, remained pale, Julien Duranville could hardly set any accents.
The Borussia threw everything forward again in the final phase, but the guests lacked any lightness and naturalness and are currently not better than “lower half of the table”.
Hecking: “Really cool game from my team”
“I saw a really cool game from my team today”said a highly satisfied Hecking to the ARD, “I feel a great satisfaction that everything we have set out to do.” And with a view of Horn, the coach said: “I am pleased for Timo that he helped us with his world-class parade against Guirassy.” After the second defeat in the second Bundesliga game, his colleague Niko Kovac had to admit as a BVB coach: “If you have an ‘Expected Goals’ value of three and you do a neutor, then it is careless. In the second half, the opponent was very deep, and it was very difficult for us because we did not find a solution. “
Bochum in Wolfsburg, Dortmund against Union Berlin
Bochum will have to go in Wolfsburg on the next matchday (February 22nd, 3:30 p.m.). In the evening, Dortmund Union Berlin welcomes the top game (6.30 p.m.).