Overtime, last minute drama
Streich’s cup dream lives on after Bochum-Patzer
03/02/2022 11:23 p.m
For a long time it looked as if the exciting quarter-finals in the DFB Cup between the two Bundesliga clubs from Freiburg and Bochum would go to penalties. But in the last minute of extra time, Christian Streich’s team stabbed ice cold – after a bitter mistake by VfL.
In the Bundesliga on course for the Champions League, in the cup only one step away from the final in Berlin: In his eleventh year as head coach of SC Freiburg, Christian Streich is heading for his biggest coup. The fifth-placed team won the quarter-finals 2-1 (0-0) after extra time at newly promoted VfL Bochum and made it into the last four for only the second time in the club’s history.
Roland Sallai (120th) scored decisively in the last minute and shot Freiburg into the semifinals. In the regular season, ex-national player Nils Petersen (51st) had already taken the lead for the sports club, which has only lost one of its last seven competitive games. Substitute Sebastian Polter (64th) equalized. In front of 10,000 spectators Bochum, who had returned from the Bundesliga, had their dream of a second cup final after 1988 shattered: After victories against FC Augsburg and FSV Mainz 05, it was over against the third Bundesliga side.
“We want to take the opportunity and continue to write history,” said VfL coach Thomas Reis before kick-off on Sky. When Bochum last reached the semi-finals, the coach was still a youth player in his birthplace, Wertheim. Streich, on the other hand, had already reached the last four with SC – in his first full season as head coach in 2012/13. And already won the DFB Cup three times – with the Freiburg A-Juniors.
The two coaches saw a lively start in which the hosts had the first big chance: Gerrit Holtmann missed the goal with a header (5th). At first, Freiburg couldn’t cope with the aggressiveness of Bochum and could hardly show off their class.
VfL only threatened Freiburg keeper Mark Flekken’s goal before the break with a shot from Holtmann (45′). The guests also got through once: after a mistake by Armel Bella Kotchap, Petersen shot too early and was not placed (38′). In stoppage time, Bochum was lucky that Winter signing Jürgen Locadia didn’t see a red card after assaulting Philipp Lienhart (45’+1′).
After the change of sides, Freiburg was better in the game. Bochum’s goalkeeper Manuel Riemann was able to parry a shot from the strong Kevin Schade, but right in front of Petersen’s feet, who gave the visitors the lead. Polter headed in an exemplary Elvis Rexhbecaj cross to equalize. In extra time everything pointed to penalties when Sallai capitalized on a mistake by Maxim Leitsch.