Bochum claim vital three points in relegation six-pointer

Philipp Hofmann’s goal proved the difference as Bochum picked up three vital points against FC St. Pauli in the race to avoid relegation.

Bottom-placed VfL Bochum came out on top in the Bundesliga’s early relegation six-pointer on Wednesday, beating FC St. Pauli 1-0 at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion.

There was nothing to separate the two sides after the first 45 minutes, with Bochum’s Gerrit Holtmann missing the best chance of the first half when he shot wide after being put through.

St. Pauli captain Jackson Irvine wasted a golden opportunity early in the second half when he fired a free header over the bar in the 54th minute.

Instead, it was Bochum who took the lead on 66 minutes when Philipp Hofmann put the ball in at the near post after being picked out by Moritz Broschinski, who had just came on.

Things went from bad to worse for St. Pauli in stoppage time when Adam Dzwigala was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Dani de Wit.

18th-placed Bochum held on for the win, which leaves them on nine points – or 11 points if their 1-1 draw with Union Berlin on Matchday 14 is counted as a win. The German Football Association recently awarded Bochum three points following the club’s appeal against the match-interrupted draw, but the decision isn’t yet legally binding.

St. Pauli sit in 15th place with 14 points ahead of the remaining matches in the Bundesliga on Wednesday.