After saying goodbye to the big European stage, Union Berlin has slipped deep into the relegation battle again.
Four days after the 2:3 in the last Champions League game against Real Madrid, the Iron team lost 0:3 (0:1) to their direct rivals VfL Bochum. After the tenth defeat of the season, there is a risk of overwintering in the relegation places.
Takuma Asano (45th + 5th), Goncalo Paciencia (54th) and Kevin Stöger (78th, penalty kick according to video evidence) scored VfL’s second home win in a row. The Westphalians increased their lead over the Berliners to six points. For Union, the last game of the year on Wednesday (6.30 p.m.) against 1. FC Köln will be a final. Bochum, on the other hand, can travel to league leaders Bayer Leverkusen in a relatively relaxed manner.
Bochum coach Letsch takes Hofmann out of the squad
VfL coach Thomas Letsch made four changes compared to the 3-1 defeat at TSG Hoffenheim, including Paciencia and Christopher Antwi-Adjei in the starting line-up, and central defender Keven Schlotterbeck returned after a yellow card suspension. Union coach Nenad Bjelica had to do without the injured national player Robin Gosens; with Sheraldo Becker, the Croatian had one more offensive player than against Real.
When it came to the boycott of the mood because of the German Football League (DFL) investor deal, the fans were not entirely in agreement: shouts of “VfL, VfL” were heard again and again from different corners of the stadium, which were answered with whistles by the organized scene. The game started in a similarly disorganized manner: Bochum had their first big chance with a header from Kevin Stöger (3rd), but many passes landed on both sides to the opponent.
Exactly to the second after twelve minutes, tennis balls rained down from the Union curve and referee Sven Jablonski had to interrupt the game for four minutes. “You are destroying our sport,” chanted the fans of both clubs in unison.
When the big ball rolled again, Asano narrowly missed the Berlin goal with an overhead kick (18th). The hosts remained dominant: Paciencia was denied by Union keeper Frederik Rönnow (28th), as was Asano a little later (31st).
The guests needed a failed defensive action from Schlotterbeck to have their first chance, but the defender saved Janik Haberer’s shot just in front of the line (33′).
It took until added time for VfL to take the well-deserved lead: Asano scored from a Stöger corner. Shortly after the break, Paciencia completed an exemplary counterattack from goalkeeper Manuel Riemann via Asano and Antwi-Adjei to make it 2-0. With that the victory was sealed.