League leaders Union Berlin have lost feathers in the Bundesliga at relegation candidate VfL Bochum. Follower Bayern is only one point behind.
The previous Bundesliga bottom VfL Bochum has a surprise on Sunday (October 23, 2022)coup landed against leaders Union Berlin. The district club won 2-1 (1-0). The goals for VfL were scored by Philip Hoffmann (43rd minute) and Gerrit Holtmann (71st), Milos Pantovic (90 + 3) scored for Union. Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann (78th) also parried a penalty kick from Pantovic.
Although Union remains the leader of the table, it is only one point ahead of Bayern Munich. Bochum is still stuck in the table basement, but has found connection to the non-relegation places.
Bochum committed, Union sleepy
The starting position could not have been more different. Union with the strongest league defense met Bochum’s weakest offensive. But there was no sign of a class difference. Bochum acted committed and with a lot of passion, but also showed respect for the dreaded transition game from Berlin, which never got going.
Little happened on the pitch for the first half hour. Scoring opportunities remained scarce here and there. In terms of football, too, the game initially developed on a fairly modest level level. Fight was trumps, both teams neutralized themselves, Union seemed strangely sleepy.
Bochum turns up the heat
Nevertheless, the Berliners had the first significant chance. After a corner by captain Christopher Trimmel, Jordan Siebatcheu (37.) came to the end from about eleven meters, VfL goalkeeper Riemann caught the slightly deflected ball just before the line. Then Bochum suddenly turned on. A shot by Jordi Osei-Tutu (43′) was wiped over the crossbar by Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow.
After the corner that followed, Hoffmann headed the ball into the Berlin goal. It was the first goal for Union after five competitive games with a clean slate.
Osei-Tutu hits the bar
Even after the restart, Bochum seemed more alert and determined than their opponents. Osei-Tutu (48′) shot over the goal from the edge of the penalty area. The Englishman had bad luck in the 62nd minute when he only hit the crossbar from twelve yards out. Union still had no access to the game and let Bochum buy their guts.
The Bochum team then celebrated the counterattack that was missing from the Köpenickers before the 2-0. with perfect one touch-Football they leveraged the Union defense, in the end the substitute Holtmann pushed the ball freely in front of Rönnow from eight meters into the goal.
Riemann saves penalties
The pitch-black day for Urs Fischer’s team continued unabated. After video evidence, referee Deniz Aytekin gave a penalty kick, Erhan Masovic had hit Diogo Leite in the leg in the penalty area.
Pantovic scored the penalty weakly, Riemann parried and thus prevented it from getting really exciting again in the final phase. The connecting goal of Pantovic in stoppage time came too late.
Union Berlin at home against Braga
On the 5th day of the Europeanleague– Group stage hosts Union Berlin Sporting Braga (Thursday, 27/10/2022 at 18:45).
On the 12th matchday of the Bundesliga, Bochum has to compete away from Wolfsburg (Saturday, October 29th, 2022 at 3.30 p.m.). Things get serious for the league leaders one day later in the home game against Borussia Mönchengladbach (3:30 p.m.).