Bochum’s first-half blitz secures victory over Heidenheim

A relegation six-pointer was on the cards this Sunday afternoon as VfL Bochum welcomed Heidenheim. In the end, the hosts secured a vital 2-0 win.

VfL Bochum’s winless run of sixteen games came to an end this afternoon in a cauldron of emotions at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion. Dieter Hecking’s side have been short on both form and luck this campaign, but so too have Heidenheim as of late. The visitors woes continued this evening as their desperate search for victory extends to 10 games as Bochum ran out 2-0 winners.

Bochum raced into the lead as early as the 6th-minute after a lightening quick start from Dieter Hecking’s men. Some excellent play by Sissoko down the left took the Malian beyond Pieringer and crossed for Moritz Broschinski to concert from 12 yards. Aside from a looping Mainka header, Heidenheim were kept quiet. The hosts would double their advantage in the 38th-minute as Tim Oermann fed Matus Bero who drilled past Kevin Müller in an instant.

Frank Schmidt was visibly frustrated and made a ruthless triple substitution upon the start of the second-half. Wanner, Föhrenbach and Schöppner departed for Kaufmann, Schimmer and Busch. Heidenheim’s pressure and dominance on proceedings increased but little fell the way of the visitors as the clock reached the hour mark. The introduction of Luca Kerber made for another offensive roll of the dice. 

Chances were few and far between for either team as the game ticked towards its conclusion. Maximilian Wittek tried his luck from a freekick but a weary effort could only hit the wall. It wasn’t long before the German full-back and Sisoko were withdrawn as Medić and Dani de Wit. The final nail in the coffin appeared to arrive when Lukas Daschner rattled the net in the 89th-minute. An offside on Felix Passlack in the build-up would chalk it off, but nothing could deny Bochum of three crucial points and a vital 2-0 win.