We’re staying up! 3-4 win at Dortmund

Total madness! We’ve reached our target and secured staying in the Bundesliga with two matches to spare! In our first win at Dortmund, we prevailed by four goals to three.

On the 32nd Bundesliga match day, VfL Bochum 1848 travelled to Borussia Dortmund for the first time in a competitive match in over twelve years. The situation was clear: If the Blue-and-Whites won, they would stay in the league. Otherwise, they would have to rely on other results. 81,365 spectators were present in a sold-out Signal Iduna Park. Compared to the 2-0 defeat against FC Augsburg, head coach Thomas Reis made four changes. Sebastian Polter, Milos Pantović, Erhan Mašović and Herbert Bockhorn moved into the starting eleven. Simon Zoller and Patrick Osterhage remained on the bench, Danilo Soares did not make the squad due to injury, and Konstantinos Stafylidis was still suspended after his red card at Freiburg.

Here’s how the game went:

1′ The ball is rolling. Let’s go, Blue-and-Whites!

1′ 30 seconds played and it’s already dangerous! Pantović receives a long ball but is challenged at the last moment, and the ball just misses the Dortmund goal.

2′ Immeadiately afterwards, BVB have their first big chance. Reus initiates the attack, Haaland passes to Bynoe-Gittens, who tests Riemann for the first time. Our number one is on his guard and saves!

3′ GOOOAL for VfL Bochum!!! What a start to this game! Wonderful cross from Asano on the right, beautifully headed home by Polter! 1:0 for the Blue-and-Whites!

8′ What’s going on here?! The next GOOOAL for VfL Bochum! Holtmann scores the second! What a beauty! Asano with his second assist, and Holtmann curls the ball into the far top corner from 20 metres.

12′ BVB are impressed, and for good reason. The Blue-and-Whites are putting in a strong performance. After a corner, Witsel tries from 30 metres out – no danger.

17′ Penalty for Dortmund. Referee Robert Hartmann was informed by video assistant Tobias Welz that after Wolf’s cross, apparently a Bochum player touched the ball with his arm.

18′ Haaland converts. The hosts pull one back.

21′ Noticeable: Holtmann does lots of defensive work and supports Bockhorn on the left side of defence. Our goal scorer wins the ball after a duel with Wolf.

23′ The first yellow card of this match. Bellingham is cautioned. It’s a free kick in midfield for VfL.

24′ Unfortunately, the free kick is too long and goes out.

27′ A brilliant save by Riemann! Reus suddenly pops up unmarked in the penalty box, but our goalkeeper pushes the ball away for a corner!

28′ Incredible! Again the video assistant intervenes, again it’s a Dortmund penalty for handball.

30′ Haaland stays cool and the score is 2-2.

31′ First yellow card for VfL. Toto is cautioned.

33′ Long kick from Riemann to Asano. Unfortunately, a little too far.

35′ Mašović also sees the yellow card.

35′ After 35 exciting derby minutes, the game slows down for the first time.

35′ The lull is already over. Wolf breaks through down the right, and Riemann clears for a corner.

38′ Riemann, Riemann, Riemann! Our keeper is having an outstanding game. Now he saves against Zagadou.

43′ Possession for VfL. We free ourselves from Dortmund’s high pressing. Holtmann takes measure but his shot just misses the goal.

45′ Corner for the boys from Castroper Strasse, and Polter runs in perfectly. Good opportunity, but his time he directs his header over the bar.

Half-time: VAR pegs us back, very promising first-half performance from VfL.

46′ The ball is rolling again. Both teams come out of the dressing room unchanged.

46′ Mašović makes a great interception! Haaland is lurking at the back, but our central defender solves the problem brilliantly.

47′ Pantović steals the ball from Witsel. But he unfortunately is stopped in the box.

50′ Riemann is having a blinder! In Manuel-Neuer style, he anticipates a pass, comes out almost to the halfway line and clears the ball.

54′ Brandt gets the yellow card. Tactical foul on Bockhorn.

55′ Bockhorn is as solid as a rock! BVB tries to counterattack after a VfL corner, but Bockhorn cleanly tackles Haaland off the ball.

58′ Good attack by the hosts. Haaland shoots from distance, Riemann makes a save. Wild!

62′ 3-2 for BVB. Reus sets up Haaland, who scores his third goal. He was lucky, he doesn’t make clean contact and the ball ricochets off his other leg over the line.

64′ Unlucky! Holtmann crosses to Polter, who elegantly backheels the ball but misses narrowly.

65′ Holtmann is down, but can continue.

68′ Now Holtmann goes off in the first substitution for VfL. Antwi-Adjei comes in.

69′ First action for our substitute. Antwi-Adjei shakes off Witsel, then passes to Polter. Unfortunately offside.

71′ Double substitution by VfL. Zoller and Locadia enter the field, goal scorer Polter and Asano, after two assists, come off.

74′ BVB take a bit of pace out of the game, which offers us the opportunity to push forward. Unfortunately, the last pass is not arriving at the moment.

76′ VfL is increasing the pressure. Antwi-Adjei crosses to Zoller, who heads the ball towards goal. A bit too central.

80′ Almost the decisive goal. A Dortmund attack finds Reus, who shoots just wide.

81′ GOOOAL for VfL Bochum!!! Locadia scores to make it 3-3! And what a beautiful goal, once again! His first contact was technically superb, Locadia spins around his opponent and stays ice-cold. Madness!

84′ Löwen comes into the game for Rexhbecaj.

85′ Handball penalty for VfL. Witsel’s arm was clearly too far away from his body.

86′ GOOOAL for VfL!!! Pantović converts cool as a cucumber! VfL lead 4-3! Our boys run to our numerous fans and are celebrated wildly, and rightly so! We are within reach of securing another season in the top flight!

90′ Unbelievable. The fans in the visitors’ stand go crazy. The big goal is in sight!

90′ Four minutes of added time. Ref, just blow the whistle!

90’+2 Riemann in possession! Great! Into the final seconds!

90’+4 Only a few moments left, then all the Blue-and-Whites can go wild here!

Full-time: Can you believe it? We’re going to keep our place in the league! Honestly, can there be a better story!? Absolute madness!

Next week will see the last home game of the season, when Arminia Bielefeld come to the Vonovia Ruhrstadion on Friday, 6th May at 8:30 pm. Time for more celebrations!