Lots of fighting, little football and lots of drama: the winless duel didn’t have a really happy ending for one of the two problem children – but the final phase was tough. After their 2:2 (1:0), VfL Bochum and FSV Mainz 05 are still stuck in the bottom of the Bundesliga table – after nine match days still without a three-pointer and with dwindling hope in the relegation battle.
In a hard-fought but shockingly low-level game in the Ruhrstadion, which was sold out with 26,000 spectators, Kevin Stöger gave Bochum the lead with a penalty kick according to video evidence (21st).
A curious pinball own goal from Keven Schlotterbeck (59th) gave the disappointing 05ers a lucky equalizer before the central defender scored the supposed winning goal himself in the 82nd minute. But Tom Krauß (90th + 6) scored the 2-2 with the last action. Mainz remains bottom of the table with just three points, Bochum is only two points ahead.
“We are disappointed and angry. We have to get this over with. But it continues,” said Bochum’s Stöger on “DAZN”. Schlotterbeck was also frustrated: “Actually, there’s nothing to laugh about. You get something like that in the 90th + 6th minute. Then you think to yourself: That really can’t be right. Such a shitty goal.”
After only six goals in the first eight games of the season, VfL coach Thomas Letsch changed his offensive: midfielder Philipp Förster made his first starting appearance, as did striker Moritz Broschinski. His Mainz colleague Bo Svensson also made two changes compared to the 1:3 against Bayern Munich.
Disjointed game – Mainz can’t find any means for a long time
The hosts got off to a better start and had their first top-class chance early on through Bernardo, which FSV keeper Robin Zentner destroyed (3′). Bochum then lost a little of their determination to move forward, but Mainz helped: Danny da Costa came too late in a duel with VfL defender Schlotterbeck in his own penalty area and hit his leg and not the ball. Referee Patrick Ittrich decided on a penalty after a short video study , Stöger didn’t miss the chance.
The game remained disjointed even after the goal, and both teams were under enormous pressure after their weak start to the season. Mistakes and fouls dominated events, and no team managed to keep the ball in their own ranks for longer. Again and again in the fierce fighting game an injured player lay on the grass. Mainz found no way to counter Bochum’s aggressive attack.
The equalizer was therefore a product of chance: after a shot by Anthony Caci, the ball bounced from Mainz’s Aymen Barkok against Schlotterbeck and then into the goal. The standard remained modest – no matter how often both coaches changed their staff.