Catch-up and seven goals
Bochum sends Union to the abyss in a spectacular relegation thriller
May 5, 2024, 5:25 p.m
The 32nd matchday of the Bundesliga presents fans with a wild relegation thriller: Union Berlin delivers a terrible first half, but then hits back strongly. But in the end it’s not quite enough to turn things around – and VfL Bochum celebrates what could be a decisive victory.
After a seven-goal spectacle in the final stretch of the Bundesliga, Union Berlin is on the brink. After the explosive separation reports surrounding coach Nenad Bjelica, the Köpenick team lost the all-important basement duel against rivals VfL Bochum on Sunday 3:4 (0:3) despite a huge fightback. With two match days to go, the Iron Men, who started the season as a Champions League club, are threatened with a relegation lottery – and theoretically direct relegation is even possible.
Maximilian Wittek (16th/31st), ex-Union player Keven Schlotterbeck (37th) and Philipp Hofmann (70th) caused the Berliners their 18th defeat of the season. Yorbe Vertessen (59th), Chris Bedia (63rd) and Benedict Hollerbach (74th) gave Union hope with their goals. In the final league games against penultimate 1. FC Köln on Saturday (3:30 p.m./Sky) and a week later against SC Freiburg, everything is on the line. VfL distanced themselves from the previously tied Union team with their second success in a row and, with 33 points, has excellent prospects of staying in the league.
Union President Dirk Zingler moderated kicker’s reports during the week that Bjelica would have to leave in the summer before kick-off. “He has our full support. That’s why it doesn’t affect us. It annoys us a bit because in the end the readers have no other chance than to believe what it says. If it’s wrong, that’s a shame for them readers,” he said on DAZN.
Bjelica recently seemed determined to stay in the league with Union. This passion was evident in his team in the first, intense minutes against Bochum, but both teams got caught up in duels before VfL scored with their first chance. Kevin Stöger, who was equally strong and allegedly courted by Union, served Moritz Broschinski with an overview on the right wing, and Wittek coldly used the flat pass.
Union again had problems creating scoring chances, didn’t get enough access when moving backwards – and made individual mistakes. After Robin Gosens lost the ball, Patrick Osterhage found the well-started Wittek, who easily went around Union’s defender and shot into the short corner. When the Eisernen never finally cleared the Bochum attack waves as a result of a throw-in and Schlotterbeck finally executed it, the fans had had enough. “Wake up! Wake up!” it echoed through the Old Forestry House.
After the break, Union came out of the dressing room with a lot of power – Bjelica must have found the right words. The result was a double whammy. First Vertessen chased the ball into the net from 25 meters, three minutes later Bedia completed a lightning-fast counterattack – the Alte Försterei vibrated and things got even wilder. While Hofmann had briefly silenced the Union team with his header during the hosts’ pressure phase, Hollerbach almost sparked new hope with a goal in return.