Demotion - Bochum manages to remain in the Bundesliga following a tense penalty shootout.
Amidst an electric atmosphere, VfL Bochum managed to pull off an astonishing win in a nerve-wracking relegation match, thus denying Fortuna Düsseldorf their securely believed promotion to the Bundesliga in the final minute.
From a seemingly hopeless 0:3 deficit in the initial game, Bochum managed to turn the tide at Düsseldorf's EM Arena with a nail-biting 6:5 penalty shootout. Unfortunately for Düsseldorf, midfielder Takashi Uchino became the unlucky one who missed the game-deciding penalty, sending the ball sailing over the crossbar.
During regular time and extra time, the score stood at 3:0 (1:0). Philipp Hofmann found the back of the net in the 18th and 66th minutes, while Kevin Stöger's strike forced extra time in the 70th minute. With Fortuna's fans in full voice, the prospect of Bundesliga football seemed imminent. However, this jubilation was swiftly replaced with disbelief as Bochum consolidated their miracle comeback and celebrated on the field.
A massive fan march that reached a kilometer in length saw thousands of Düsseldorf supporters make their way to the stadium. The city had been craving Bundesliga football for four years, after an absence. But their pre-celebration was short lived, as Bochum snatched the promotion from their grasp. In contrast, the Bochum team couldn't believe their good fortune but seized it with both hands.
A change in tactics saw interim coach Heiko Butscher tweak his team selection, reintroducing captain Anthony Losilla as a starter. The visitors played with confidence and exerted pressure. Hofmann leveraged this firmly held control to score with a header from five meters out - their first major chance.
Fortuna, however, were rather reserved until this point. Their efforts were few and far between, save for some attacks engineered by midfielder Marcel Sobottka and striker Christos Tzolis. It took a goal against to ignite the Düsseldorf side.
Half an hour into the match, Vermeij had a glorious opportunity to level the scores but failed to convert. The pressure mounted, the crowd roared on. With Sobottka driving the advance, the Rhinelanders had opportunities to trouble the Bochum goal. In the end, the striker Tzolis couldn't convert, neither through a goal nor from his corner kicks.
Masterful Midfielder
Midfielder Hofmann, who had only managed four goals in the entire season, found the back of the net once more after a cross by Stöger, sealing the game at 2:0. In the ensuing drama, Bochum's captain, Sadik Suleimanov, was given a handball penalty, with Stöger calmly converting the opportunity.
With this, Fortuna's racing promotion dreams were shattered. They'd have to rip up their planned celebrations. Sportingly, they'll assuredly field a team without their best players such as Tzolis next season, facing formidable competition as they aim to return to the Bundesliga. On the other hand, Bochum can now count on another year of Bundesliga play, but they'll need to restructure their coaching staff.
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Source: www.stern.de
