Goalkeeper Riemann as template provider: Bochum duped Hoffenheim

Created: 04/02/2022Updated: 04/02/2022 18:03

Bochum's Sebastian Polter (l) and Hoffenheim's Angelo Stiller fight for the ball. © Uwe Anspach/dpa

0-2 in the first half of the season, 1-2 in the second half of the season: VfL Bochum is a nightmare for Hoffenheim this season.

Japan's Asano scores twice with great help from his own keeper.

Sinsheim - TSG 1899 Hoffenheim suffered the next setback in the race for a place in the Champions League and were duped twice against VfL Bochum by the congenial duo Takuma Asano/Manuel Riemann.

The team coached by Sebastian Hoeneß lost 2-1 (0-1) to the promoted team in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

The Japanese Asano scored after a wide ball from goalkeeper Riemann (28th and 59th minutes).

The guests also annoyed the Kraichgau team with the man-marking ordered by coach Thomas Reis, for which national player David Raum equalized in the meantime (54th).

In front of 15,014 spectators in Sinsheim, Bochum made another big step forward in the relegation battle: The gap to the relegation place with Arminia Bielefeld is nine points.

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Two weeks after the cup-throwing scandal in the aborted home game against Borussia Mönchengladbach, VfL showed a courageous and disciplined performance.

After the last so disappointing 0: 3 at Hertha BSC, the harmless Hoffenheim could not prove again that they are ready for the premier class.

The Hoeneß team played in unfamiliar gray jerseys with orange ethnic patterns - on the occasion of their "Africa Match Day", with which they wanted to draw attention to the consequences of the war in Ukraine for the African continent.

The men in white made a more conspicuous start: Bochum started boldly and tested TSG keeper Oliver Baumann with two dangerous long-range shots by Konstantinos Stafylidis (3rd) and Danilo Soares (11th).

From the start, Stafylidis was one of the most conspicuous in his team in the unusual central midfield, also as a guard for playmaker Christoph Baumgartner.

The Greek is on loan from Bochum until the end of the season from Hoffenheim.

TSG coach Hoeneß had praised the 28-year-old's development before the reunion.

After Bochum's initial offensive, the hosts took control of the game more and more.

Above all, Baumgartner and Andrej Kramaric found more and more gaps in the VfL defence, but didn't use them.

With a shot like a dash into the left corner of the goal after a very strong kick from keeper Riemann, Asano goalkeeper Baumann surprised the other side - 0:1.

Immediately before the half-time whistle, Milos Pantovic should have made it 2-0: After a bad pass from Angelo Stiller, he ran towards Baumann on his own, but shot wide of the goal.

The Serb scored 2-0 in the first leg from over 60 meters.

After flank specialist Raum equalized himself, Asano again punished Hoffenheim's carelessness: Kramaric had previously missed two promising chances, Florian Grillitsch blundered on the fast attacker on Riemann's tee shot.

dpa