VfL Bochum had more possession of the ball. However, Hoffenheim were more efficient and won the game clearly in the end.
After four games without a win, TSG Hoffenheim has finally won again. The home team easily won 3-1 (2-0) against VfL Bochum on Friday evening. Hoffenheim is safely in sixth place, while Bochum lost for the first time in five games and remains twelfth in the table for the time being.
Erhan Mašović was unlucky in the 32nd minute when he inadvertently gave Hoffenheim the lead with an own goal. Croatian Andrej Kramarić increased the score to 2-0 a little later (43rd minute). Substitute Ihlas Bebou made it 3-0 (76th). Bochum joker Gonçalo Paciência shortened the score with a dream goal in the 90th minute.
That’s how the game went
In front of just 16,023 spectators in the Sinsheim Arena, Wout Weghorst should have given the hosts the lead after just 130 seconds. The Dutch international striker only hit VfL goalkeeper Manuel Riemann from close range. The guests, who had to do without the suspended central defender Keven Schlotterbeck, were unimpressed by the shocking moment. As a result, VfL largely had the game under control and was even the better team at times.
Only a free kick from Kramarić caused some danger again in front of the Bochum goal (20th). Basically, the Hoffenheim team, who were missing high-flyer Maximilian Beier with a cold and the suspended Kevin Akpoguma, hardly came up with anything in the first half hour.
That changed suddenly in the 32nd minute when Weghorst appeared free in front of Riemann. The keeper was initially able to parry the attacker’s shot, but the ball bounced off Mašović and into the VfL goal. Afterwards, Kramarić showed his class and the Croatian followed up before the break.
At the start of the second round, Letsch brought in two new players in Paciência and Christopher Antwi-Adjei. That had an effect, Bochum pushed for the next goal. In the 50th minute, the Japanese Takuma Asano was unable to take advantage of a good chance.
After that there wasn’t much more from VfL, the hosts managed the lead. In the 65th minute, the injured Weghorst had to come off. Two minutes later, Marius Bülter missed the great chance to make the preliminary decision. On the other side, Paciência almost made things exciting again (73′) before substitute Bebou scored.