The world-famous windmill dummy may be falling apart on the roof of the Moulin Rouge Theater in Paris, but in the indestructible Bochum Ruhr Stadium the French can-can was played all the more passionately and frequently on Friday: the lively goal anthem was played three times. And even though it was close again after an exhilarating 3-0 lead towards the end, the Bochum team celebrated their first win in the ninth game since mid-February and their first win in the third game with a 3-2 win against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim new coach Heiko Butscher.
“Thank God!” said Butscher about the fact that the chronically fragile VfL had not given up a lead again and such a clear one at that. “Thank God!”, Felix Passlack, the author of the 2-0, also assisted. Nothing is falling apart in the Ruhrstadion yet. VfL still has every chance in the relegation battle.
:There is a risk of a descent into shackles
If 1. FC Cologne is relegated to the second division, this could have unprecedented consequences because of the transfer ban: Skeptics fear that they will soon no longer be among the top ten in the second division. The reason is a chain of mistakes by the club management.
Two goals conceded in stoppage time, which turned a 1-0 lead into a 1-2 defeat in Cologne three weeks ago, led to the dismissal of coach Thomas Letsch as a result of Bochum’s attention deficit disorder. Bochum then suffered a meager 1-1 draw against Heidenheim and a disappointing 0-1 draw in Wolfsburg under Butscher. Now against Hoffenheim, VfL suddenly played like they were intoxicated after the team had sat down during the week to talk about things.
The trauma of the many playful tours? “Over!”, say the people of Bochum
Thanks to goals from Kevin Stöger (34th and 64th minute) and Passlack (45+2), Bochum were already leading 3-0 when the shaking phase began after a good hour. After Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric conceded goals in the 73rd and 84th minutes, a nervous murmur set in in the Ruhrstadion, as if the approximately 23,000 Bochum supporters were collectively suffering from a Pavlovian reflex. Her team’s many lost leads this season have left their mark. This time? “This trauma is over!”, diagnosed the Brazilian left-back Bernardo afterwards in the style of a psychotherapist: “Today we can make a point behind it.”
Kevin Stöger stood out from the strong collective with his two goals, although it is already clear that he will leave VfL for a free transfer in the summer after his contract ends. According to media reports, the 30-year-old is considered a candidate for Union Berlin – if the Köpenickers, who are also threatened with relegation, remain in the Bundesliga. In this case, Stöger would be in a conflict of interest, especially since he and his VfL Bochum are visiting Union Berlin next Sunday.
After the win against Hoffenheim, Stöger simply said: “I am 100 percent at VfL Bochum, I want to keep this class with VfL and can promise that I will do everything for this club.”