Bundesliga, 22nd matchday
The team of coach Julian Nagelsmann caught a disastrous day with the promoted team. At times it looks like a historic bankruptcy for FC Bayern. Only one fights against defeat.
No Bochumer will ever forget this game. What a memorable performance on this 22nd match day of Bundesliga-Season 2021/22! 4:2 (4:1) he won VfL Bochum against FC Bayern Munich. Led the German record champions at times. Dismantled a team coached by Julian Nagelsmann, who was mainly defensively desolate over long stretches. Christopher Antwi-Adjei (14th), Jürgen Locadia (38th, penalty kick), Cristian Gamboa (40th) and Gerrit Holtmann (44th) scored for the furiously playing Bochum team, Robert Lewandowski (9th, 75th) scored the goals for Munich.
VfL, which took a big step towards staying up in the league, brought Bayern back to a Bundesliga bankruptcy as the first promoted team since 1. FC Kaiserslautern in August 2010. The Munich team conceded four goals in the first half last in 1975 at Eintracht Frankfurt (Final score 0:6) conceded.
Power outage before the game
The 0:7 in the first leg on September 18th was the heaviest Bundesliga defeat for VfL – for Reis it was a pivotal experience. “Bayern showed us what was missing,” said the VfL coach.
Before kick-off, the 8,500 spectators had to do without Herbert Grönemeyer’s goosebumps anthem “Bochum” – a power failure in the entire Grumme district initially paralyzed the technology and the floodlights.
Bochum caught Bayern by surprise
VfL was bursting with energy, the promoted team started briskly against the series champions, who were offensive in the 4-1-4-1. Bayern answered typically: first chance, first goal. Lewandowski switched first from a Kingsley Coman cross and scored his 25th goal of the season.
Anyone who now believed in a “normal” course of the game was wrong: in the 14th minute, VfL surprised the big favorites with a counterattack, which Holtmann let go Dayot Upamecano stand and played in the center, where Antwi-Adjei gave the sluggish Süle the disadvantage. Bayern fought for dominance, but lacked freshness and esprit against the aggressive and agile Bochum side.
Nagelsmann reacted – without effect
Upamecano grabbed the ball in his own penalty area, Bochum’s winter signing Locadia overcame Ulreich from the point with a bit of luck. Bochum was now intoxicated. Locadia moved in from the right and hit the corner, Holtmann scored the next dream goal from the left.
The half-time period brought back memories of Bochum’s game of the century in 1976. At that time, VfL even led 4-0 against FC Bayern at half-time – and lost dramatically 5-6.
Nagelsmann reacted, scored another six in Corentin Tolisso and took the overwhelmed Upamecano off the field. The pressure grew, a Lewandowski free kick (86th) hit the crossbar.
The other games of the day
Meanwhile, Hertha BSC is getting more and more into trouble in the relegation battle. The “Old Lady” lost 1:2 (0:1) at bottom SpVgg Greuther Fürth and slipped to 14th place in the table.
Branimir Hrgota scored after just 26 seconds. It was the earliest goal this Bundesliga season. Also in the history of the Fürth league, which, however, only covers two seasons, no player had scored earlier. Hrgota also made the preliminary decision with a converted hand penalty (71st). Linus Gechter was only able to shorten the lead for the Berliners (82′).
VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach, on the other hand, achieved important victories. Wolfsburg won 2-0 (1-0) at Eintracht Frankfurt, Gladbach beat direct rivals FC Augsburg 3-2 (1-0). With 27 and 26 points respectively, both clubs averted the danger a little.
Max Kruse: The newcomer from Wolfsburg scored his first goal for his new club since his return. (Source: Hartenfelser/imago images)
Max Kruse’s winter commitment is gradually paying off in Wolfsburg. The striker scored the opening goal in Frankfurt (28th) with a penalty kick. Dodi Lukebakio made everything clear (90 + 3). It was the second three for VfL in a row.
Kouadio Koné (30′), Jonas Hofmann (46′) and Ramy Bensebaini (67′) scored for Borussia, the Augsburg goals by Iago (55′) and Alfred Finnbogason (90′ + 3′) were no longer enough to win a point. so that the Augsburgers continue to occupy the relegation rank with 22 points.
However, SC Freiburg has strayed a bit from the road to success, at home the Breisgauer only played 1-1 (0-1). After the Mainz goal by Alexander Hack (31st), precious joker Nils Petersen only managed to equalize (69th).
The sports club remained without a win in four of the five games in the second half of the season. Accordingly, coach Christian Streich’s team missed out on a place in the Champions League, which RB Leipzig occupied by beating 1. FC Köln 3-1 on Friday.