Arminia Bielefeld celebrated another success after three league games without a win. Against Waldhof Mannheim, the DSC did not let itself be deterred by a deficit on matchday 11.
Arminia defeated Waldhof Mannheim 3-1 in their own stadium on Saturday (October 14th, 2023). Kelvin Arase gave the guests the lead after 20 minutes. Nassim Boujellab (51′), Louis Oppie (57′) and Manuel Wintzheimer (76′) turned the game around for Arminia.
With their third win of the season, Bielefeld left the relegation zone 3rd league and now climb to 15th place with twelve points. Mannheim also has twelve points and is in 16th place.
Arminia dominant from the start
Arminia stepped on the gas from the start and almost took the lead after two minutes. Boujellab fed Noah Sarenren Bazee in the penalty area, but in distress he shot the ball just past the goal from eight meters. In the 15th minute, the new signing from FC Augsburg had the lead again, but Mannheim’s goalkeeper Jan-Christoph Bartels made a crucial interference.
The guests didn’t take the offensive at all – and still took the lead after 20 minutes. However, Arminia helped. First, goalkeeper Jonas Kersken played a bad pass directly to Mannheim’s Isaiah Herrmann during the build-up to the game. The ball landed via Hermann at Arase, whose shot from 16 meters was deflected unstoppably by Arminia’s Maximilian Großer for Kersken.
No penalty for Waldhof Mannheim
Arminia still remained the better team, but struggled to create chances. Things got tricky in the Arminia penalty area in the 36th minute when Kersken came too late against Herrmann. However, referee Florian Lechner decided against a penalty whistle. In the direct counterattack, Leandro Putaro had the opportunity to equalize, but was denied by Waldhof keeper Bartels from 16 meters.
Shortly after the break, Arminia rewarded itself for its previous superiority. Captain Fabian Klos secured the ball in the penalty area and passed it across to Boujellab. The Moroccan let his opponent out with a hook and pushed it into the far corner from five meters (51′). Four minutes later, Boujellab almost scored a brace, but his header from a corner hit the crossbar.
Oppie hits powerfully under the crossbar
Oppie also hit the crossbar in the 57th minute, but the ball bounced from there into the goal. Waldhof goalkeeper Bartels delivers a cross from the right side into the middle, directly in front of Oppie’s feet. The Bielefeld player had plenty of time and hammered the ball into the goal from 14 meters to give Bielefeld the lead.
There was hardly anything offensive from Waldhof in the second half. Instead, Oppie also worked on a brace, but his long-range shot went just over the goal in the 71st minute.
Manuel Wintzheimer, who had just come on as a substitute, put the lid on it in the 76th minute. First, Merveille Biankadi broke through on the right and crossed sharply into the six-yard box. Wintzheimer just had to push in.
Arminia demanded in Duisburg
Arminia continues on matchday 12 next Saturday (4:30 p.m.) with an away game at MSV Duisburg. Waldhof Mannheim welcomes the second team from Borussia Dortmund on Friday (7 p.m.).
