Bochum players celebrated in Dortmund.
Dortmund. A festive day for VfL Bochum: The team won 4:3 at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday afternoon – and also celebrated staying in the league.
Bochum out of control: The VfL Bochum has a mad, a spectacular Revier derby at Borussia Dortmund Won 4:3 (2:2) and thus made the class preservation perfect by their own efforts. Milos Pantovic converted in an intense, fast-paced game before 81.365 fans in the sold-out Signal-Iduna-Park a hand penalty to win 4-3 in the 86th minute. Minute. And when it was all over at 17:24, coach Thomas Reis first to the fans – and probably the longest VfL party night since the promotion almost eleven months ago began.
Bochum had taken an early 2-0 lead, three Haaland goals turned things around before the promoted team struck twice in the closing stages – capping its strong season.
Bella Kotchap kicked out of the VfL squad
Bochum coach Thomas Reis had already caused a sensation before kickoff. He did without regular defender Armel Bella Kotchap – despite the absence of two defensive specialists in left-backs Konstantinos Stafylidis (suspended) and Danilo Soares (injured). The decision was already made on Friday after the final training, injured or ill Bella Kotchap is not.
Reis made a total of four changes after the 0:2 loss to Augsburg. Erhan Masovic played for Bella Kotchap, Herbert Bockhorn defended on the left for Soares, in the center Milos Pantovic was given preference over ex-Dortmund Patrick Osterhage, and in the forward center Sebastian Polter returned to the starting eleven for Simon Zoller.
BVB, which was severely shorthanded – ten professionals were missing due to injury or suspension – relied on youth player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens on the left wing. The 17-year-old made his starting eleven debut. Instead of the yellow suspended Emre Can, coach Marco Rose trusted Axel Witsel, who had overcome his infection. Otherwise, there were no changes at BVB.
More than 10.000 VfL supporters helped to create a first-class atmosphere at the 81.365 fans sold out BVB temple, but some made sure before kickoff that their club will be asked to pay again. They set off bengalos, and one rocket even flew onto the field just before kickoff. This is also unacceptable in view of the suspended penalty, albeit "only" in his own stadium, after the abandoned match against Monchengladbach.
Dream start for VfL Bochum: 2:0 after eight minutes
Shortly thereafter, the Bochum supporters showed their best side, exuberantly celebrating the first strike of the furiously starting VfL. A long ball from goalkeeper Manuel Riemann was picked up by Takuma Asano, who got away from the weakly defending Raphael Guerreiro on the right wing. In the penalty area Manuel Akanji slipped away and Sebastian Polter headed the ball free from seven meters with force into the net. 1:0 for VfL after just over two minutes – 304 goalless minutes since Asano scored to make it 2-1 in Hoffenheim were history.
And it got even better from Bochum's point of view. After winning the ball from Bockhorn in midfield, Pantovic served Asano perfectly. The Japanese failed to pick up the ball, from the left edge of the penalty area directly in front of the "yellow wall" of BVB fans he put back to the edge of the sixteen, Pantovic let the ball pass cleverly through his legs for the better-positioned Holtmann. And the winger, who has been in such poor form lately, flicked the ball into the right corner from 18 meters past Marwin Hitz, who was positioned too far in front of the goal. 2:0 for Bochum after just over seven minutes – the VfL fans went wild with happiness.
Erling Haaland turns the game for BVB
BVB, caught off guard by VfL, shook itself – and turned up the heat. With the support of video assistant Tobias Welz Dortmund came to the equalizer. Twice referee Robert Hartmann overlooked a handball, Cologne's Keller intervened, twice there was a penalty kick after handball. Before the first one the ball flew to Pantovic's arm, before the second one it jumped to Elvis Rexhbecaj's outstretched arm just before the goal line in the duel. Erling Haaland scored twice: The Norwegian converted the first safely down the right, the second down the left (19./30.).
Earlier, goalkeeper Manuel Riemann had distinguished himself with asterisks in this intense game without skirmishes. First against a too weak finish by Julian Brandt, then brilliantly with his right arm against the free Marco Reus – the ball still titsched on the crossbar.
Dortmund earned the unfortunate equalizer for Bochum with prere and a lot of ball possession (about 75 percent in the first half). Especially over the right side with Marius Wolf and Julian Brandt he brought Bockorn, Holtmann and Leitsch in distress. Wolf tested the formidable Riemann in the short corner as in the first leg, Akanji's header after one of the dangerous standards flew by.
Not until the 43. Bochum came back offensively in the second minute. Holtmann's long-range shot just missed on the right, and Asano again eluded Guerreiro. The held him just outside the penalty area, the whistle failed to blow – Pantovic, who apparently expected a whistle, failed to the defensive leg Zagadous.
Even after the change, it went back and forth immediately. Holtmann and Polter missed good moments, Haaland continued to duel with Riemann: Bochum's keeper made two brilliant saves (48./58.) failed once again to Riemann. Then he was powerless, the stronger, superior Dortmund turned the game against the passionately fighting guests completely. Bynoe-Gittens passed to Reus, whose cross was stumbled into the goal by Haaland from close range. 3:2 for BVB, 62. Minute. For Junior Bynoe-Gittens then came Felix Passlack.
Holtmann injured after a shot from the left, Christopher Antwi-Adjei came on for him – and immediately missed a great chance to equalize. Witsel, he had also outrun Hitz, but then shied away from the finish and opted for the "wrong" pass: Instead of passing to Polter, who was positioned behind the ball, he served Asano, who was offside (65).).
Bochum fans chant "No more second division"
Reis brought on two more fresh offensive players, Jurgen Locadia and Simon Zoller replaced the tired Polter and Asano. Bochum did not give up -. Rewarded. met. After a made-to-measure cross from Pantovic, Locadia took the ball skillfully, turned away from the stunned Akanji and scored from close range ice-cold in the bottom right corner. 3:3, 81. In the 10th minute, Elvis Rexhbecaj ran to the VfL fans and celebrated the equalizer with them as if it were a goal for the championship.
Shortly afterwards, the entire team gathered in front of the VfL block, completely euphoric. After a handball by Axel Witsel, there was the third hand penalty of this crazy game. Pantovic shot half-high into the middle, Hitz had hiked to the left. 4:3 for Bochum. "Here reigns the VfL", roared the Bochum supporters. And, of course: "Never again 2.