Dusseldorf. VfL Bochum celebrates staying in the league in dramatic fashion! After a penalty shootout, VfL remains in the Bundesliga.
The miracle is accomplished, the VfL Bochum stays in the league! Despite a 0:3 mortgage from the first leg against Fortuna Dusseldorf The team from Heiko Butscher really got going, scratched, bit and won the return match in an emotional penalty shootout because Fortuna’s Takashi Uchino missed the last penalty. The players celebrated exuberantly in front of the stands, their barely thought possible survival in the league.
Butscher gave the impression on Sunday that he himself did not believe in it. The team did. Perhaps the players were also spurred on by the coach’s character question. There was surprisingly little to see from Fortuna, whose fans were ready for promotion with a march along the Rhine and a large choreography, even though the first scene belonged to the home team. After just 50 seconds, Ao Tanaka tried from distance, but his shot was just deflected.
The Fortuna fans cheered on their team with a great choreography.
© dpa | Marius Becker
The Bochum defense was not set up correctly at the start of the game because coach Heiko Butscher surprisingly opted for a three-man defense. The basic formation that caused major problems at the start of the season under Thomas Letsch. But on Monday it worked. Lukas Daschner also brought an offensive element into the game that has often been missing this season. Bochum was actually ready to try everything again that evening.
Hofmann scores for Bochum’s lead
But the limitations of Bochum’s attacking game were immediately apparent. They tried to use balls from the half-field, which did not put Fortuna under pressure. After eleven minutes, VfL combined with a bit of luck via Daschner and Philipp Hofmann in the penalty area, but Matus Bero was stopped fairly by Tim Oberdorf. Bochum had more possession of the ball, but could do little with it. Fortuna made the spaces tight and defended everything well.
Philipp Hofmann scored the lead for VfL Bochum.
© dpa | Roland Weihrauch
Until the 18th minute and a free kick from Kevin Stöger. His cross flew into the penalty area and Hofmann, who has been unlucky so often this season, was in the right place and headed it past Florian Kastenmeier to take the lead. Bochum had the early goal, which was described in advance as the only chance on the way to a miracle. How will Fortuna react now? There was no sign of nervousness. And yet Bochum had the next big opportunity in the 22nd minute after a cross from Matus Bero. Hofmann was able to pluck the ball out of the air in the five-meter box, but he couldn’t do anything with the space.
VfL Bochum pushed for second goal against Fortuna
The small momentum evaporated, Fortuna closed the spaces again. But Bochum kept at it, did not let themselves be defeated and Wittek tested Kastenmeier with a long-range shot (32′). And the Fortuna goal almost rang again before the break. But after a free kick from Stöger, Keven Schlotterbeck headed over (41′). And a deflected shot from Daschner also only hit the side netting. Bochum lived.
Fortuna’s Vincent Vermeij (left) in a duel with Bochum’s Tim Oermann.
© AFP | Uwe Kraft
And how! In the 50th minute, captain Anthony Losilla took a shot, but his shot was blocked and the ball landed at Daschner, who shot straight away. But Oberdorf saved Fortuna in dire need. And the Düsseldorf team? They were barely active offensively, Christos Tzolis was not a factor that evening. And then something happened that hardly anyone thought was possible. Stöger was criminally left free in the center and sent a pinpoint cross onto Hofmann’s head, who headed in to make it 2-0 in the 66th minute.
VfL Bochum: Pure madness – Stöger excels
Fortuna was floundering – and things got even worse! Just two minutes after the 2-0, Stöger was on the edge of the penalty area, tried a chip – and Fortuna defender Matthias Zimmermann blocked with his elbow in the penalty area. Referee Deniz Aytekin awarded a penalty. Stöger stayed cool and scored safely. The team and the away team went crazy, Bochum had actually equalized. And the fourth goal almost came, but Kastenmeier was just able to defuse the header from substitute Takuma Asano (72′). Shortly before the end of regular time, the Japanese player also missed a cross from Patrick Osterhage (89′). On the other side, Ivan Ordets prevented Tzolis from scoring a goal and the game went into extra time.
No one scored, although Fortuna tried everything again. But Asano and Noah Lossli each saved on the line. (119th). The penalty shootout was also a real drama. First Andreas saved against Andre Hoffmann, then Kastenmeier against Erhan Masovic. It took seven shooters to decide the winner – because Takashi Ushino shot over the bar.