The Bochum players celebrate the 2:0 win against Heidenheim.
Image: dpa
Bochum's Moritz Broschinski (l) scored his first goal of the season against Heidenheim.
Image: dpa
Matus Bero (M) scores for Bochum to make it 2:0.
Image: dpa
The Bochum players celebrate the 2:0 win against Heidenheim.
Image: dpa
Bochum's Moritz Broschinski (l) scored his first goal of the season against Heidenheim.
Image: dpa
Matus Bero (M) scores for Bochum to make it 2:0.
Image: dpa
VfL Bochum celebrate their first win of the season just before Christmas. The win in the duel against Heidenheim creates tension in the basement of the table.
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- Bochum celebrate their first win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Heidenheim.
- For Heidenheim, the defeat is their seventh league defeat in a row.
The Bochum players celebrated their first win of the season with the VfL fans in the curve and left the Ruhrstadion with new courage for the relegation battle in the Bundesliga. After a turbulent week with the lighter-throwing scandal in Berlin, coach Dieter Hecking's team won the basement duel with struggling 1. FC Heidenheim 2:0 (2:0). Goals from Moritz Broschinski (7th minute) and Matus Bero (38th) saw the bottom club close the gap to Heidenheim, who are 16th in the relegation places, to four points.
"After so many failures, we took the biggest step today. I'm absolutely delighted. It's a little pre-Christmas present for all of us at VfL," said Bochum goalscorer Broschinski on DAZN.
It was the seventh league defeat in a row for Heidenheim, who had only missed out on an early place in the last 16 of the Conference League with a 1-1 draw against FC St. Gallen on Thursday. And as their rivals won on the last matchday before the winter break, coach Frank Schmidt's team's lead over a direct relegation spot shrank from five to two points.
Drewes back in VfL goal after lighter-throwing scandal
For Bochum, on the other hand, a drought of 15 games without a win came to an end in front of 24,328 spectators - and it was a conciliatory end to a turbulent week just before Christmas. The lighter-throwing scandal involving goalkeeper Patrick Drewes in the game at Union Berlin, the outcome of which (1:1) will be decided by the DFB sports tribunal on January 9, had an impact on the Revierclub for days to come.
On the pitch, however, the 31-year-old goalkeeper did not let it show. Drewes, who had been hit by a thrown lighter in Berlin and subsequently had to leave the pitch as well as sitting out training for several days, played for 90 minutes against Heidenheim. The goalkeeper saw his team-mates set the course for their first win of the season early on.
After just six minutes, VfL striker Broschinski volleyed the ball into the net to make it 1-0 following a cross from Ibrahima Sissoko. Three minutes earlier, Bochum defender Ivan Ordets had missed the lead, his header from a corner being cleared off the line by Mathias Honsak.
Heidenheim too harmless
With the lead behind them, the hosts dominated the game, but initially failed to add another goal after Broschinski's first goal of the season. It was only in the closing stages of the first half that Bero made it 2-0 with his shot from around 15 meters. Heidenheim had opportunities to equalize beforehand, but Honsak's free-kick (13') landed over the goal, as did Patrick Mainka's header (23').
However, Heidenheim's performance was weak overall, often disorganized in defence and lacking courage and ideas in attack. Even after the break, when coach Schmidt made three changes, there was no comeback. Although the visitors tried to build up pressure, they were rarely dangerous in front of goal.
Because Heidenheim had to operate more offensively, Bochum had counter-attacking chances: Bero shot the ball next to the goal while standing free, Broschinski's shot was blocked. Despite a turbulent final phase with opportunities on both sides, the score remained 2-0.
