VfL Bochum ruthlessly battered their rivals.

VfL Bochum brutally battling against the wall.

Following the initial round of the Bundesliga relegation play-off, it appears evident which championships VfL Bochum and Fortuna Düsseldorf will participate in. VfL experienced a baffling misfortune, while Fortuna are jubilantly celebrating.

Unfortunate. Tragic. Regrettable. Calamitous. Disturbing. The German language offers many options to describe what transpired at VfL Bochum on Thursday night. In the initial relegation match to determine participation in the upcoming Bundesliga, the team faced their home fans in defeat. And how. Fortuna Düsseldorf, the confident and superior second-division team, entered with a 3:0 advantage in their arena, and they will conclude on Monday evening at 20:30. They don't even require a noteworthy performance against VfL in this present state. And what does VfL require? A miracle. At the very least. Actually, a better superlative is necessary, but one isn't available.

Provocation. Plummeting. A steep descent "anne Castroper": following the devastating loss at Werder Bremen on matchday 34, which led to these high-stakes showdowns, VfL endured a jarring disappointment. Manuel Riemann, the intensely emotional and ardently debated starting goalkeeper who vehemently protects the squad but habitually crosses the line of propriety, was dismissed for these duels. He was evidently no longer in sync with the common goal and had lost trust in the team as a whole. Coach Heiko Butscher bet the house with this transparent decision. Riemann is not just an emotional shepherd, but also a top-class keeper with lightning reflexes and exceptional build-up play. Yet, he was evidently the detriment within the flock.

A touch of faith in a turning point

Bochum pinned their hopes on the resolution of the "Riemann issue" to revitalize the squad. That the players could act unfettered, sans the constant specter of jeers for every blunder. However, this gamble failed. Stand-in goalkeeper Andreas Luthe, who would've chosen Riemann in the net instead of him, yielded an "egg goal" (according to basketball team manager Patrick Fabian) and, later, had a free-kick from Christos Tzolis salvaged into the net. The outcome: 0:3 - the goal conceded to seemingly secure relegation. The team was predominantly stifled, with some footballers barely present physically. Nevertheless, they refused to discuss relegation and its implications. They remained fixated on the miraculous advancement in Bochum, even though it was "a brutal day." After considerable contemplation, Fabian, clad in black, asserted that he still believed in it. His convincing delivery was lacking.

But from where would it originate? Fabian pondered the issue and could not identify any promising possibilities. That Düsseldorf had also managed to score three goals there. And that his squad had done the same. Against Hoffenheim or Union Berlin, for instance. Yet, besides these minor successes? Nothing. Nothing at all that evening sparked optimism that everything could still be reversed on Monday. Fortuna's self-assured chest, already tight in their red and white jersey, will expand further. Bochum must withstand intensifying pressure from both their opponents and the impending and likely relegation scenario.

Once the fiasco, the debacle, the disaster, this tumultuous and exhausting 90-minute stretch ended, the players positioned themselves in front of the Ostkurve. Surprisingly calm and quiet prevailed there, an area known for its deafening roars. Mixed reactions commenced with whistles and cheers, and the message: "Get your heads knocked in." No one in Bochum understands what to do with this squad anymore. With this squad that defeated FC Bayern and VfB Stuttgart "anne Castroper". A team that had conjured the Ruhrstadion's magic and crumbled repeatedly in stoppage time. If the game concluded at the 90-minute mark, VfL would most likely be in European competition and (probably) wouldn't have to travel to Elversberg.

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In the Ruhrstadion, the atmosphere was electric, filled with emotion and optimism. The whole city was geared up to support their team and keep them in the league. The notorious Bermuda Triangle area was packed to the brim with fans. The journey to the stadium was tense but filled with good humor. It was a beautiful summer evening, with floodlights casting a dramatic glow over the pitch. A blockbuster movie-like scene unfolded before everyone's eyes as the city's prominent sons, including Bayern star Leon Goretzka in his Faber jersey, joined in the excitement. He cheered loudly as Herbert Grönemeyer sang the popular lines "who lives in Düsseldorf" and "make every opponent wet with a double pass, you and your VfL!" However, later, he felt desperate just like all the blue and whites. The stadium was charged with energy, and the guests who were present in large numbers also brought their own pyro party in the guest block. The air seemed to be buzzing with excitement.

Kick-off. Düsseldorf started the game, letting the ball run. After four minutes, Bochum took control and hemmed their opponents in their own penalty area. With every ball won and cross, the atmosphere boiled over. That looked promising for VfL. Then, after 13 minutes, a corner for Düsseldorf. Tzolis noticed that Luthe was a bit too far forward and hit the ball straight into the Bochum box. The ball hit the post, bounced back, and in, resulting in an 'egg goal', putting them up 0:1. The team celebrated briefly, only to continue. A Bochum corner followed, with Bernardo rising high and heading the ball against the inside of the post (16'). The crowd roared in appreciation, stunned by the near-miss.

However, moments later, Maximillian Wittek managed to break through, but he was caught offside. The belief in their game returned. Bochum looked better, but it didn't take long for the visitors to show their merciless self-confidence. Stöger took a free-kick just wide of the goal. They seemed to have everything well-planned, and everyone knew their roles. The defense was tight, and the full-backs cleverly worked themselves free. Ao Tanaka directed the play expertly. Bochum's defensive press was nullified. Midway through the first half, disorganized passion met cool intelligence.

Then, Losilla came on for Fortuna, scoring almost immediately. The crowd was taken aback as they watched Fortuna score off a sensational counter-attack through Tzolis and Felix Klaus.

"I've got no explanation for how this spiraled out of control."

After the game, coach Daniel Thioune couldn't contain his joy. He ran onto the pitch, dropped to his knees, and raised his fists to the sky. Later, he tried to maintain his composure, "The team showed composure and perseverance. The journey is not over yet, it was just the first part. I admired our opponents, who have also achieved good results in the past. That's why we're happy that we can go into Monday's game with a small lead." They cautioned themselves against making premature statements and to remain serious. Goalkeeper Florian Kastenmeier added, "We've seen often enough in soccer that a 3-0 lead can be turned around."

Bochum desperately clung to a sliver of hope: "While it may seem a bit ridiculous, if Düsseldorf can score three goals here, why can't we?" remarked the concerned midfielder Stöger. "Bochum doesn't deserve this fate," he added, as he had previously done following their defeat in Bremen: "We won't give up. We still have faith in ourselves." Defender Keven Schlotterbeck, who desperately attempted to hold it together at the back, stated: "As a team, we screwed up today. But stay optimistic - today's been quite a scare, so you might as well gamble it all on Monday. Either you'll leave with a 6-0 win or try to salvage something." The faith in this outcome was long gone from the squad. And so was the enjoyment of playing for VfL. In a beach bar behind the stadium, someone commented: "My father-in-law's funeral was more enjoyable; he was 87 years old, seriously ill, and had lost all hope."