With the first Bundesliga away win after 485 days, VfB Stuttgart draws new hope in the relegation battle.
Sebastian Hoeneß lived the relegation battle. The new coach of VfB Stuttgart cheered every time he won the ball, he applauded every successful pass, he suffered in a fiery final phase and would have preferred to run onto the pitch himself. VfB won 3: 2 (1: 0) at VfL Bochum, it was the first away win since December 2021 – it seems as if the fourth coach of the season has finally awakened the passion in the previously lethargic players.
Stuttgart gave up the red lantern of the bottom of the table and drew new hope: with a lot of fight and will, the Swabians ended a series of five league games without a win. “It’s great that we were able to party away again after this long time,” said sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth at DAZN: “In the end it got a bit more emotional, but that was important to keep the concentration high.”
Hiroki Ito (14′), Serhou Guirassy (60′) and Josha Vagnoman (63′) scored the goals in VfB’s first three-pointer away from home in 485 days. For Bochum, for whom Kevin Stöger (58th, penalty kick) equalized in the meantime and Philipp Hofmann (85th) also scored, things are getting tighter again in the table basement: Stuttgart moved up to three points. “We gave up the game within a few minutes,” criticized Hofmann.
Stuttgart leaves chances for a preliminary decision
Under pressure to win, VfB took the initiative, Bochum was waiting for mistakes. The visitors’ first goal-oriented attack immediately put them in the lead: a Borna Sosa cross was blocked by Danilo Soares right in front of Ito’s feet, who didn’t give goalkeeper Manuel Riemann a chance.
All in black, Hoeneß directed his team on the sidelines – and saw that Bochum had to nibble. Space for counterattacks opened up for his VfB, but he initially didn’t play them with enough concentration. Bochum had the first half chance when Takuma Asano headed the ball keeper Fabian Bredlow in the arms (28th). Little was achieved from the game.
Striking: Stuttgart presented itself in the duels much more bitingly than in the past few weeks, accepted the relegation battle and defended itself against the aggressive style of play of Bochum. Vagnoman missed the chance to make an early preliminary decision: The new international danced through half of Bochum’s defense, but failed because of Riemann (51st).
The hosts surprisingly equalized after a slight tug at substitute Philipp Förster from the penalty spot by Millot. But Stuttgart shook itself briefly and continued its strong playful and fighting performance: After a cross from Sosa, Guirassy scored completely free, then Vagnoman took advantage of a mistake by Riemann, who ran under an Enzo Millot cross.
VfL Bochum vs. VfB Stuttgart: The date of the game
