20th matchday
A late penalty saves Augsburg a point in Bochum
Bochum’s Moritz Broschinski (below) scores the goal to give his team the lead. photo
© David Inderlied/dpa
For a long time Bochum looked like the sure winner against Augsburg. But shortly before the end, FCA goal guarantor Demirovic scores from the penalty spot.
FC Augsburg has a late goal from their top striker Ermedin Demirovic saved a draw at VfL Bochum. In stoppage time, Demirovic converted a hand penalty to make the final score 1-1 (0-1) and scored his eleventh goal of the season.
Augsburg and Bochum remain in the middle of the Bundesliga table and maintained their distance from the relegation zone.
For a long time it looked like another home win for Bochum, who had only suffered one defeat in ten games in their own stadium this season. Moritz Broschinksi initially scored with an overhead kick (33rd minute), but the first goal of the season wasn’t enough in the end. In stoppage time, the ball hit the arm of Augsburg’s VfL defense chief Ivan Ordets during an attack. As exciting and thrilling as the final phase was, the game beforehand was unexciting and had few chances.
Dahmen saves a small deficit
Bochum’s coach Thomas Letsch only made one change in personnel after the 3-1 defeat at Borussia Dortmund; the Brazilian Bernardo returned to the starting line-up on the right side of defense after his yellow card suspension for Maximilian Wittek. Augsburg coach Jess Thorup trusted the same starting line-up that had performed so well against FC Bayern Munich a week earlier and narrowly lost 3-2.
But the Fuggerstadt team in Bochum was a long way from the previous week’s performance against the big Bavarians. The guests found it difficult to get into the game for a long time. In the first 45 minutes, goalkeeper Finn Dahmen was the focus more often than his coach would have liked. However, most of Bochum’s attacks were no problem for Dahmen, who had no chance when Broschinski hit an overhead kick after a poorly defended corner.
Augsburg lacked the ideas and assertiveness in the forward game to put themselves in the spotlight against well-defending Bochum players. Even the otherwise strong play on the wings almost didn’t work at all this time, and top striker Demirovic, in his 50th Bundesliga appearance for FCA, was completely taken out of the game for a long time by Bochum’s defense chief Ordets. Significantly: Augsburg had their first chance with a long-range shot from Elvis Rexhbecaij after 37 minutes.
Only injury time brings the equalizer
Thorup reacted after exactly one hour and brought in the last-minute winter transfer Pep Biel for the offensive. Ruben Vargas (66′) had the great opportunity to equalize immediately afterwards, who seriously tested VfL keeper Manuel Riemann for the first time with a volley.
Despite the lead at the back, the Bochum team lost their lightness, were moving more backwards than forwards and suddenly had to defend themselves against Augsburg who were pressing hard and suddenly acting aggressively in their own penalty area. Only occasional counter-attacks provided relief for the Bochum team – but they were not without danger.
First, substitute Moritz Kwarteng (75th) missed the possible 2-0 after goalkeeper Dahmen had previously misused the ball. Just two minutes later, Matus Bero was denied by the Augsburg goalkeeper from close range. In a hectic final phase, which took place almost exclusively in front of and in the Bochum penalty area, the decision was only made after video evidence: Ordets had blocked Arne Maier’s shot with his arm.