Status: 04.03.2023 5:25 p.m
In a hard-fought basement duel between tables-17. Bochum and tail light Schalke 04, the miners prevailed 2-0 (1-0) and overtook VfL in the table. Manuel Riemann gave Schalke the lead with an own goal (45′), Marius Bülter (80′) made the final score in the closing stages.
The Schalke victory increases the tension in the league in the fight for relegation. Bochum, who slipped to the bottom of the table as a result of the defeat, has 19 points, just as many as Schalke 04 before them. 1899 Hoffenheim on the relegation rank is also tied with the two NRW clubs. Stuttgart and Hertha BSC are also not far from the relegation zone.
Bochum better, Schalke meets
The hosts had the first chance in the basement duel – and what a chance: Bochum’s Philipp Hofmann was completely free in front of the goal after a cross from Danilo Soares, but shot over the goal from five meters. Afterwards, VfL dominated the game, but were initially unable to create any major chances.
The game lived above all from intensive duels, less from playful class. Shortly before the break, Takuma Asano first missed the chance to lead VfL, then Manuel Riemann also helped with the Schalke lead: First the goalkeeper flew past a cross, then he awkwardly maneuvered the subsequent ball towards the goal line over his own goal line.
VfL fights unsuccessfully
After the change of sides, there was hardly any flow of the game. The already emotional basement duel was almost continuously interrupted by minor fouls and nitpicking. Twenty minutes before the end, the Bochum crowd grew impatient and chanted: “We want to see you fight!” That seemed to work: Christopher Antwi-Adjej tested S04 goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann with a low shot (70′).
It wasn’t because of the effort at Bochum, but rather because of the many bad passes and technical errors. The decision was made ten minutes before the end: Bülter converted a flat corner through the multi-legged defense to make it 2-0. The referee denied the supposed goal, Dr. Felix Brych recognized after VAR intervention due to an offside position. The offensively weak VfL could not recover from this.
Schalke asks for the district derby
On the next matchday, Schalke will host Borussia Dortmund for the Revierderby (Saturday, March 11th, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.). Bochum is challenged in Cologne the day before (8:30 p.m.).
Source: sportschau.de