There had been no doubt for the Düsseldorfers, not the slightest. “Next stop: 1. Bundesliga,” was written on the scoreboard at the tram terminus of the Düsseldorf Arena before the game. “We’re back,” sang the fans before kick-off. “Fortuna wins,” the ultras had painted on a huge banner that covered half of the fan block before the game. Did anything else need to be said?
Fortuna Düsseldorf, third in the second division, won the first leg of the relegation match against VfL Bochum, third from bottom in the Bundesliga, 3-0 last Thursday evening. Never before in the history of the Bundesliga relegation match has a team made up for such a high penalty from the first leg – but VfL Bochum actually managed to do just that on Monday evening in the Düsseldorf Arena on the Rhine.
Two headers from Philipp Hofmann (18th and 66th), assisted by Kevin Stöger, and Stöger’s 3-0 handball penalty in the 70th minute equalized Bochum’s defeat in the first leg. This result took the game into extra time – and the first penalty shootout since the relegation play-offs were reintroduced in the 2008/2009 season. Never before had the Bundesliga or second division been decided in such a thankless way. And it took a total of 14 penalties. Maximilian Wittek scored for Bochum to make it 6-5. Takashi Uchino then shot over the goal for Düsseldorf. The Japanese player burst into tears and was unable to be consoled for several minutes.
With a 9:5 (3:0, 1:0) victory after a penalty shootout, VfL Bochum turned the most unbelievable relegation match to date in its favour and will be allowed to play in the Bundesliga for the fourth season in a row next season. Fortuna Düsseldorf, on the other hand, which had already thought it was in the highest national league after the first leg, will remain in the second division for a fifth season in a row.
“We started so well, we were so close, and that’s why it hurts all the more – that’s understandable,” said Düsseldorf’s sports director Klaus Allofs after the game on Sat.1: “I said it: we need two good games, and today was not a good game. All those who ticked it off: they have no idea.”
As in the first leg, Düsseldorf were not particularly nervous in the second leg, but rather approached the match with seriousness and initially had good chances of their own to follow up the 3-0 win from the first leg with a 4-0 win four days later. But this time they were not as ice-cold as they were last Thursday in Bochum. This time Bochum took the lead early on and sensed a sensation early on.
Driven by playmaker Stöger, Bochum repeatedly appeared dangerously in front of Düsseldorf’s goal. At halftime, with the score at 0:1, Düsseldorf probably still thought they were in the Bundesliga, but Bochum’s comeback continued in the second half. “It’s going to be a tough game,” predicted Fortuna’s sports director Klaus Allofs on Sky during the break. His hunch was right.
Before the second half kicked off, the Toten Hosen, Düsseldorf’s very own punk band, blared from the loudspeakers – but what were they singing? “I can’t guarantee that no misfortune will happen to us now,” was one line.
At first, Bochum were unlucky in their attempts to score a second goal, but they were unlucky and mostly lacked precision. It took until the 66th minute before Hofmann scored again with a header to make it 2-0, triggering an even more intense offensive run that was soon rewarded. A handball by Düsseldorf’s Matthias Zimmermann in his own penalty area meant a penalty for Bochum, which Stöger converted in the 70th minute to make it 3-0.
Now the game swayed back and forth, and only when faced with what was thought to be an impossible sporting catastrophe did the Düsseldorf team fight back against the impending fourth goal and try to end the drama with a goal of their own. They were unable to do so by the end of regular time. The game went into extra time, in which the Düsseldorf team had the better chance of landing a lucky punch. But it took a penalty shootout to settle the matter. “No more second division,” sang the Bochum fans at the very end.