Fourth victory in 2021: Bochum comes dangerously close to HSV

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Fourth win in 2021
Bochum comes dangerously close to HSV

Because he asserts himself against FC St. Pauli despite two arrears, VfL Bochum remains undefeated in 2021. The traditional club increases the pressure on leaders Hamburger SV at the start of the second half of the season. St. Pauli gives away a great opportunity in the fight against relegation.

VfL Bochum distanced their pursuers in the promotion race at the spectacular end of the second division match day. At the increasingly strong FC St. Pauli, VfL won after two defeats 3: 2 (2: 2) and moved up to one point at the start of the second half of the leaders Hamburger SV. For St. Pauli, however, a series of four games without defeat came to a painful end in 16th place.

Bochum hadn't sorted itself properly at the Millerntor, the second in the table was already behind. St. Pauli's striker Guido Burgstaller (4th) hit the crossbar from the left in a steep angle, from there the ball bounced back on his feet and into the goal. The guests shook and remained superior to the field, after Simon Zoller (28) equalized at the end of a dream counterattack they were also close to the lead – but Finn Ole Becker saved for St. Pauli on the goal line. In return, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (32nd) shot spectacularly into the corner from a distance. Again Zoller (43.) drew the line under a turbulent and extremely entertaining first half with his tenth goal of the season.

After the break it was much quieter. The Bochum lead was a coincidence: St. Pauli's defender Daniel Buballa deflected a harmless slider from Robert Zulj into his own goal in his 250th second division game (63rd), while goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic couldn't do anything. The efforts of the hosts to make it 3: 3 were noticeable, also because Bochum failed to provide clarity with another goal – but the efforts of the table-16, who are still threatened with relegation. remained in vain.

For VfL it was the fourth victory in the fifth game of the young year, including the clear 3-0 success in the second DFB Cup round shortly before Christmas, Bochum won seven of its most recent nine games with a draw and only one defeat.