Borussia Dortmund did not win against VfL Bochum in the Bundesliga. At BVB they were annoyed after the 1: 1 (1: 1) on Friday evening (04/28/2023). About her blunder in the championship race. About exploiting your own chances. And about referee decisions.
Anthony Losilla put VfL Bochum ahead in the 5th minute, two minutes later Karim Adeyemi equalized for BVB. Dortmund then had more of the game and some good scoring chances, but they couldn’t get a second goal. Also because Bochum’s goalkeeper Manuel Riemann showed his skills several times.
“We had a great chance today, but we didn’t take it”, said Dortmund’s Julian Brandt in an interview with ARD radio. Borussia Dortmund is still in first place in the table – but has to worry about this position. On Sunday (April 30th, 2023) FC Bayern will play Hertha BSC and could take the lead again with a win.
For Bochum, on the other hand, winning a point could still be very important. “We’ll take the point with us”, said Bochum’s goalscorer Losilla the ARD radio. His trainer Thomas Letsch said: “It was a wild ride.” VfL now has 28 points, three more than VfB Stuttgart in 16th place in the table.
Bochum’s Losilla scores, but BVB responds immediately
The game had started badly for Borussia Dortmund. A cross from Takuma Asano landed on the edge of the box at Anthony Losilla. Bochum’s captain took the ball and shot it into the top left corner with the second touch. Dortmund’s goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was still on it with his fingertips, but couldn’t prevent the deficit.
Less than 120 seconds later, BVB equalized after a mistake by Bochum’s Danilo Soares. Then Mats Hummels played a long ball into the path of Donyell Malen, who in turn played low into the middle. There, Sébastien Haller passed it on to Adeyemi, who only had to push in.
Bellingham, Adeyemi, Malen – but no second Dortmund goal
From then on, a game developed that was also expected. Bochum put the focus on the defensive and hoped for moments of change. Dortmund took control of the game, they often knew what to do with the ball – they just didn’t manage to score a second goal. They had chances, really good chances.
Once, in the 26th minute, Jude Bellingham moved towards the Bochum goal with speed and technique. With a step-over he was past Soares, his shot from a tight angle was parried by goalkeeper Riemann. Riemann couldn’t hold onto the shot, the ball rebounded to Adeyemi, who shot it low to the right of the goal from close range.
Five minutes later it was Adeyemi who got the shot again. This time he aimed at the bottom left corner – and just missed again. And then Malen, Dortmund’s goalkeeper in recent weeks, had his chance. Malen sprinted towards a cross from Raphaël Guerreiro and shot directly. It was a powerful finish, only it landed right in Riemann’s arms.
Hofmann’s shot is not missing much
BVB almost went into the break with a deficit instead of a lead. Asano saw Hofmann in the back, whose shot just missed the target on the right (43′). Hofmann’s ninth goal of the season was just inches away.
Dortmund was superior in the second half as well, they had chances again, but they couldn’t score a second goal there either. And that had a lot to do with Bochum’s goalkeeper: First Riemann made a strong save against Youssoufa Moukoko (75′), then he deflected a flick from Bellingham just over the bar (77′).
Dortmund quarrels with referee Stegemann
And then there was a scene in the 65th minute when Adeyemi was hit in the penalty area by a tackle from Danilo Soares. Adeyemi went down, at BVB they waited for the whistle – but it didn’t come. Referee Stegemann did not recognize a foul, and the VAR apparently had no concerns either.
“I made it very clear to the referee what I thought of it”Dortmund coach Edin Terzic said on ARD radio. “If I’m not sure, then I choose a different perspective. That’s the only thing we asked for. This request was not granted three times. As a result, we were clearly disadvantaged today.”
It was a contentious decision – and it shouldn’t be the last time that evening that they quarreled with a decision from the referee in Dortmund.
In the 90th minute, substitute Anthony Modeste extended a cross and Hummels headed in. But the goal didn’t count because Hummels was offside. Because a player from Bochum had his arm on the ball when the scene came about, Dortmund claimed another penalty. They didn’t get it – and this time it was probably the right decision.
Bochum in Gladbach, Dortmund against Wolfsburg
On Matchday 31, Borussia Dortmund hosts VfL Wolfsburg (Sunday, May 7th, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.). One day earlier, Bochum is a guest in Mönchengladbach (3.30 p.m.).