Thursday, October 28, 2021
An incredible cup story
Bochum’s goalkeeper turns completely free
VfL Bochum and FC Augsburg deliver a spectacular cup battle in round two. The guests seem beaten early, but come back vehemently. The decision is made in the penalty shoot-out. Bochum’s keeper becomes a hero, in a completely bizarre way.
Manuel Riemann should really do two things. But Manuel Riemann only did one thing. But nobody will add anything to him along the A40. The goalkeeper of VfL Bochum decided a nerve-racking cup evening against FC Augsburg on Castroper Strasse on Wednesday evening. The 33-year-old became a hero on penalties. That was just the one thing he’d done. Well, you know stories like that. But Manuel Riemann’s story is different from what one would expect.
That was how he was supposed to become the hero. From his trainer. Thomas Reis brought Riemann into play two minutes before extra time was over. It was 2: 2, both teams were at the end of their strength. It would come to a duel at the point. And with Riemann, the perfect joker was still sitting on the VfL bench. It doesn’t happen often. Because the goalkeeper is the clear number one. Last season he was one of the icons of promotion. But Bochum has two good keepers. Bochum also has Michael Esser. He now got match practice and thus had his share in the heroic story of his competitor.
A short but insane working day
It started in the 118th minute. But why actually? Well, the thing is like this: Of the active professional goalkeepers in Germany, Riemann is the one with the best rate when it comes to defusing penalties. He was able to save 25 of 73 penalties. That’s pretty remarkable. Against Augsburg, who are fighting back after a 2-0 deficit, this record should be improved a little. Such is Reis’ plan. So the hope of the fans, who sang and exulted during the goalkeeper’s first warm-up exercises. Because “Anne Castroper” they love their goalkeeper. Even if he’s a little crazy. But his mentality, his obsession, his honesty, even after weak games, fits into the pot.
But the truth in the face-to-face duel was different from what had been hoped for. Riemann didn’t save a penalty. He wasn’t even close. Unlike his counterpart, Rafael Gikiewicz. When Elvis Rexhbecaj’s first shot was in the right corner, he missed very gently. And in Danny Blum’s third attempt, the Augsburg player was strong on the ball, but was unlucky that it ended up in goal. It is different with Riemann. Time and again he was loaded. Perhaps he would have lived up to his ascribed role as the man of the evening with the final shot by Arne Maier, but the ex-Berliner got reserve and punched the ball into the sky.
The sprint of happiness
But because Riemann was supposed to have the status of the hero, he grabbed the ball as the last shooter, ran and finished it very casually. As he did 14 years ago against Bayern Munich’s goalkeeper titan Oliver Kahn. Now to total ecstasy. Riemann didn’t even know what to do with himself and his feelings. He ran. He slipped. He ran on, sticking his tongue out to everyone he met on his sprint of happiness and ultimately landing on the fence. In front of the fans. He first silenced the stadium and then let it escalate. What a show! He didn’t forget his colleague Esser either. He started choirs for him.
Esser actually played a big part in making this fairytale showdown happen. In the second half of extra time, he defused a shot by Michael Gregoritsch with a great save. It would have been the knockout for VfL, who first dominated the game and, thanks to Milos Pantovic, managed it confidently. But the Augsburgers came back with a double strike. Just two minutes after the 2-0 draw, Reece Oxford and Ruben Vargas equalized the game for the team of coach Markus Weinzierl in three minutes.
But VfL had the final punch to themselves. And Reis explained how this could come about. “In the end, those who feel comfortable should shoot. Milos Pantovic was injured and couldn’t compete. We reported that to the referee,” said the boss, explaining the extraordinary choice of the last shooter and the equally unusual change. “That has nothing to do with disrespect to do towards the opponent. Bruno (Esser, d. Red.) did not know that Manu should come. In the half-time of extra time I told him that I was thinking about it, “explained Reis. It was a smart thought.