With their second away win of the season, relegation candidate VfL Bochum’s worries have worsened at VfL Wolfsburg. The team from Lower Saxony won 3-1 (2-0) against the new bottom team in the Bundesliga. In Bochum, winless coach Peter Zeidler is already under threat of elimination after four months and six games with just one point.
Tiago Tomas (21st minute) and Jonas Wind (37th and 88th) ensured success for the ambitious Wolfsburg team with their goals. This ended a streak of four games without a win, in which coach Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side certainly managed to impress against opponents such as FC Bayern, double winners Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart.
However, Hasenhüttl restructured the starting eleven against Bochum: Astier Vranckx replaced the injured Mattias Svanberg (ankle) and Riedle Baku preferred Kilian Fischer. Denis Vavor also made his eleventh appearance, playing in central defense in place of Cédric Zesiger – and he had a lot to do from the start.
A long pass is enough for Wolfsburg
Despite the lack of success, the Bochum team stuck to their style of play, acted offensively and tried to put their opponents under pressure with early pressure. However, this repeatedly led to gaps in the defence. A long ball was usually enough to get Wolfsburg dangerously ahead of the other goal.
Tiago Tomas’ opening goal was symptomatic: VfL goalkeeper Felix Passlack played a bad pass in the forward movement, Mohamed Amoura hit a long pass against Tiago Tomas, making it 1-0 to the visitors.
Bitter for Bochum: A few minutes earlier, referee Max Burda had initially ruled for handball and a penalty for the home team on their Bundesliga debut, but reversed his decision after video evidence. Vranckx’s arm was against his body when Myron shot Boadu.
The encounter then became more difficult, both teams were on equal footing and had a chance – which was different: Wolfsburg were more effective. Attack Wind seized the opportunity after a corner shot into the goal from an unmarked position at the second post.
The wind changes in the follow-up shot
Right after the break, Tiago Tomas could decide the game early. After another quick attack from the visitors, his second goal of the afternoon was only blocked by the post.
Instead, the tremors began for Wolfsburg, which has always conceded decisive goals in the final phase in recent weeks. But during one of Wolfsburg’s few breakthroughs in the shooting phase, Amoura fouled Sissoko in the penalty area – and Wind scored the final point of the game with the converted penalty in the follow-up.