The magical resurgence of Borussia Mönchengladbach under the managerial leadership of Lucien Favre was capped off Wednesday evening as Die Fohlen claimed 2-1 aggregate win over VFL Bochum in the Bundesliga relegation playoff courtesy of a 1-1 draw in the second-leg of the tie.

For the storied Germany side it marked a stunning turnaround with the former Swiss manager in charge. Handed the managerial reigns on 14 February, the Gladbacher charged from the bottom of the table in the final twelve remaining weeks, amassing twenty-points to place seventh in the rückrunde.

Unable able to overtake VfL Wolfsburg on the final day of the campaign, Lucien Favre had to settle for a spot in the relegation playoff against VfL Bochum bought from the get-go, it appeared the script was written for them.

The opening leg saw Belgian international Igor de Camargo provide Borussia a slender 1-0 victory in front of their home fans, yet knew they would face a mighty test in the decider in the short trip to Bochum.

True to form, Bochum came out gunning for the equalizer early and after seeing a number of opportunities fall for naught found the goal they needed six minutes shy of the half-hour as Håvard Nordtveit was victimized for an own goal as he turned in Christoph Dabrowski’s cross.

If Borussia looked out of sorts early, the pedigree Mr. Favre has cultivated began to shine through after the break with die Fohlen prowling for important away-goal. Cueing up, the improbable great escape grew closer with eighteen minutes remaining in regulation as Marco Reus playes played a sumptuous one-two with Igor de Camargo on the edge of the area before rifling the ball into the net. For the balance of time, Borussia Mönchengladbach professionally controlled the proceedings, sealing the important draw and laying claim to years greatest of escapes.

John Davies is available on his personal page on Facebook , Renegade Training™’s, as well as or Twitter.

In addition to Europa League News, John Davies writes on the “Beautiful Game” for Russian media giant Sport-Express. (Спорт-Экспресс) as well as Spartak Moscow

Hannover 96’s deeply problematic year that saw the sad passing of Robert Enke has come to end with them avoiding relegation via a final day 3-0 defeat of host VfL Bochum. The result eases 96 from the relegation zone whilst casting Bochum, along with Berlin, to the second division.

The start of the campaign last August was optimistic for 96. Coming off a fine mid-table finish, many thought there was a chance for a spot in Europe and that sat tenth in the Bundesliga table after their 8 November draw with Hamburger SV. Two days later, the year turned in an entirely different direction with a matter of far greater importance as Robert Enke passed at his own doing. The great ‘keeper, leader of 96, suffered from depression, as we would learn later and sadly took his own life.

The shock and realization of a matter of far greater importance saw the club drop into a severe tailspin whereby their next victory did not come till 13 March against Eintracht Frankfurt. Entering the final two weeks of the campaign, 96 the second to bottom position the chance to avoid relegation seem bleak. However, in a brilliant turn of events they managed to pull off victories over Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bochum and begin next year fresh.

Needing a win against Bochum, 96 went out in front at the ninth minute as Arnold Bruggink, from eleven metres, volleyed Hanno Balitsch’s lofted cross from the left. Midway of the half, 96 doubled its lead as Mike Hanke accepted Arnold Bruggink and curled the ball into the Bochum net. Just before the break, Manuel Schmiedebach surged along the left flank before providing to Sergio Pinto who scored from ten metres. Though Bochum fought nobly after the break, the lead was insurmountable and Hannover claimed the 3-0 victory and held off relegation with the greatest of escapes

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The celebration can begin for Bayern München, as with 3-1 defeat of VfL Bochum at the Allianz Arena they will claim their twenty-second Bundesliga crown in next Saturday’s season ending contest. In conjunction with Schalke’s loss to Werder Bremen, Bayern can begin their celebration as their three-point lead and seventeen-goal differential assures them of the title.

The man of the match was twenty year-old Thomas Müller who scored each of Bayern’s three goals. The relegation threatened Bochum were under siege early and at the eighteenth minute Philipp Lahm’s cross was turned in by young attacker. Bayern silenced the visitor’s hopes two minutes later Franck Ribéry sent Philipp Lahm’s cross back to Thomas Müller, who subsequently headed the ball into the net. Though Bochum fought back amiably and narrowly pulled the match to within one, when it mattered Bayern ‘keeper Hans-Jörg Butt could not be beat. After coming close in early attempts for this third goal, with twenty-one minutes remaining Thomas Müller accepted the ball from Mark van Bommel and outmanoeuvred the Bochum defence to make it 3-0. Though Christian Fuchs lodged a late consolation goal from a set piece, Bayern was in full celebration mood as they claimed the 3-1 victory.

Bayern returns to play on Saturday against Hertha Berlin, whilst Bochum faces a relegation battle against Hannover 96.

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Serbian international Zoran Tošić led Köln to a 2-0 victory over relegation threatened VfL Bochum at RheinEnergieStadion. With the result, Köln sits comfortably in the eleventh spot of the Bundesliga table, whilst Bochum rests a point above Hannover 96 in the drop zone.

Köln dictated the early run of the play with Milivoje Novakovič unable to capitalize on early chances. At the quarter-hour the former Partizan man accepted Taner Yalçın’s before circumventing ‘keeper Philipp Heerwagen and sending the ball in from close range. With the lead, Zvonimir Soldo’s were resolute in defending and calmly absorbing the Bochumers efforts through to the break.

Knowing a victory was needed, Bochum turned up the attacking heat after the break but once again, Köln absorbed the pressure and barely allowed a menacing attempt near ‘keeper Faryd Mondragón. After the hour the hosts began to carve out some opportunities as desperation set in with the Bochumers. After a number of chances came up empty, die Geißböcke doubled the margin with twelve minutes remaining in regulation time as Zoran Tošić played a slick one-two with Adam Matuszczyk through the left channel and drove the ball into the net. Bochum threw forward in the remaining time but they were unable to find the mark and the match ended 2-0 in Köln’s favour.

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Eintracht Frankfurt kept their Europa League hopes intact as they overcame relegation threatened VfL Bochum 2-1 at the Ruhrstadion. With the result, Eintracht sits seventh in the Bundesliga table, whilst Bochum sits at the fourteenth spot.

After Eintracht saw a number of efforts come up empty, the hosts took the lead at the tenth minute as Lewis Holtby turned in Vahed Hashemian’s cross from the right. Die Adler wasted no time going on the assault and a minute shy of the hour levelled as Marco Russ headed Benjamin Köhler’s free kick from the right into the net. The pace slowed, though Ümit Korkmaz narrowly missed lodging the go-ahead goal before the break.

Eintracht continued to dictate the run of play after the break and four minutes past the hour took the 2-1 lead via a quick assault as Caio sent an effort from twenty-six metres into the bottom left hand corner. For the balance of the proceedings, the visitors dominated but were unable to turn the screw with the insurance goal. However, fortune was on the side of Eintract and after Zlatko Dedič squandered a high probability chance, they laid claim to the full three points with a 2-1 victory.

Both sides return to play next Saturday as Eintracht Frankfurt welcomes Bayer 04 Leverkusen, whilst VfL Bochum visits SC Freiburg.

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Werder Bremen came from behind to defeat relegation threatened VfL Bochum 3-2 at Weserstadion, thanks to a late rally. With the result Thomas Schaaf’s side climb to the all-important fifth spot, a place in the Europa League, whilst Bochum lingers at fourteenth.

Heading into the match, Werder was troubled without the services of Aaron Hunt and left Torsten Frings, Mesut Özil and Claudio Pizarro out of the starting eleven. After a cautious start, the visitors took the 1-0 lead when Stanislav Šesták latched onto Roman Prokoph’s defence splitting pass before sending into past Werder keeper Tim Wiese a minute shy of the quarter-hour. The match droned on through the break with little consequence to note.

At the restart, Claudio Pizarro and Mesut Özil trotted in for Werder and the impact was noteworthy. Two minutes prior to the hour, the move paid off as Cladio Pizarro volleyed Naldo’s high pass into the back of the net to square the match. However, only five minutes later Bochum regained the lead as Zlatko Dedič, played in on the left channel, deftly sent the ball past the Werder ‘keeper after getting on the end of Lewis Holtby’s pass. The wide-open affair continued and two minutes later, following a nice buildup of play between Mesut Özil and Philipp Bargfrede, Marko Marin drilled the ball from the right side of the area into the back of the net. Die Grün-Weißen notched the winner with nine minutes left as Torsten Frings, who had entered a few moments earlier for an injured Tim Borowski, sent a long effort from well outside the area into the net. Bochum poured forward looking towards the equalizer but following two superb saves by Tim Wiese, the match ended 3-2 in Werder Bremen’s favour.

Werder Bremen returns to play in the DFB Pokal against Augsburg on Tuesday before welcoming Nürnberg in league play on Saturday. Bochum looks to regain their winning form as Eintracht Frankfurt visits in the Friday evening contest.

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Borussia Dortmund continued its hunt for a spot in the Europa League with a 4-1 defeat of VfL Bochum at Ruhrstadion. With the win the Dortmunders climb to fourth in the Bundesliga table, whilst Bochum sit at fourteenth and pulled into the relegation fight after Hannover and Nürnberg were victorious on Saturday.

Die Schwarzgelben, with nearly one-third in attendance from their traveling supporters, went out in front 1-0 at the eighteenth minute when Nuri Şahin’s free kick into the box bounded off Marcel Maltritz into this own goal. Jürgen Klopp’s side doubled the margin nine minutes later as Jakub Błaszczykowski took charge of the contest, surged past two defenders before providing Mohamed Zidan the ball and the Egyptian international skillfully finished. Six minutes later, disaster struck for the hosts as they were forced to play a man down when veteran Miloš Marić was showed a straight red-card for elbowing Jakub Błaszczykowski.

After the break, the Bochumers clawed to win one as at the fifty-third minute Lewis Holtby got on the end of Mimoun Azaouagh slide rule pass, before sending the ball past Roman Weidenfeller. Momentum shifted quickly to the hosts, however with sixteen minutes remaining in the proceedings Lucas Barrios restored BVB’s two-goal margin as he displayed a strikers predatory skills by turning in a rebound of Tamás Hajnal’s effort. Only three minutes later, Lucas Barrios, turned his second of the day into the net after Sebastian Kehl flicked on Nuri Şahin’s corner, bringing the match to its 4-1 final score.

The win came with harsh costs for the Dortmunders, as they will be without the services of Nuri Şahin in next Saturdays B1 Derby against Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Westfalenstadion, due to suspension, with Dedê, Kevin Großkreutz, Lucas Barrios and Nelson Valdez all likely out with injury. On the same day, VfL Bochum visits Werder Bremen at the Weserstadion.

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Defending champions Wolfsburg defeated VfL Bochum 4-1 at the Volkswagen Arena to continue their recent upswing in the Bundesliga.

After sustaining early pressure, the Bochumers opened the scoring two minutes shy of the hour as Paul Freier latched onto an errant ball in the area and drilled into the net. Die Wölfe levelled the match on the hour as Edin Džeko volleyed in Marcel Schäfer’s cross. Fifteen minutes later the hosts had their first lead of the day as Oba Martins send in Makoto Hasebe’s cross from the right. With eleven minutes remaining Philipp Heerwagen was adjudged a penalty for bringing down Edin Džeko and the Bosnia and Herzegovina international drove the subsequent effort in. In the first minute of added-time Jonathan Santana sent a long range effort into the back of the net to seal the 4-1 victory for Wolfsburg.

VfL Wolfsburg travels to face Rubin Kazan in Europa League play on Thursday before going up against Borussia Mönchengladbach two days later at Borussia-Park. On Saturday, VfL Bochum continue their fight to avoid relegation as they welcome Borussia Dortmund to Ruhrstadion.

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In their fight to avoid relegation, Nürnberg played VfL Bochum to a nil draw at the Ruhrstadion. The result pushes Nürnberg, sixteenth in the Bundesliga table, two points shy of Freiburg, whilst Bochum is at the thirteenth spot.

Der Club, coming off their hard-fought draw to Bayern München, were showing the greater attacking pulse against their conservative hosts. Striker Albert Bunjaku was at the centre of much of the activity, narrowly sending a header off a corner wide midway of the opening half. Just before the break FCN goalkeeper Raphael Schäfer denied
Christoph Dabrowski and Javier Pinola pushed Stanislav Šesták’s effort off the line.

Chances were rare after the break as both sides were unwilling to go forward, lest risk themselves at back. FCN manager Dieter Hecking continued to exalt his forces forward but Bochum was resolute in locking down the affair. In the final stages, Albert Bunjaku was shown his second yellow card but Bochum did little with the man advantage and the match ended as a scoreless draw.

VfL Bochum returns to play on Saturday as they face VfL Wolfsburg at Volkswagen Arena, whilst Nürnberg welcomes Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Frankenstadion.

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In a tough mid-table battle, VfL Bochum fought Mainz to draw at the Stadion am Bruchweg. With the result Mainz’s, modest chance for a European berth stays alive as they sit eighth in the Bundesliga table, whilst Bochum is twelfth.

Die Nullfünfer created a number of fine chances early, including Filip Trojan accepting Florian Heller provision in prime scoring territory but his effort was off-course. Later, Bochumer goalkeeper Philipp Heerwagen did well to deny Aristide Bance’s header. Bochum squandered their own chances, with Joël Epalle’s effort stopped by Mainz ‘keeper Heinz Müller and Zlatko Dedič sending his chance wide before the half-hour.

After the break, neither side was showing the needed touch to cut threw the opposition. With twenty-three minutes remaining, Mainz manager Thomas Tuchel summoned Austrian international Andreas Ivanschitz and Ádám Szalai as they searched for the much-needed winning striker. However, Bochum was resolute in defending and without a successful attacking venture to note, the match concluded as a nil draw.

Both sides return to play on Saturday as VfL Bochum welcomes Nürnberg to the Ruhrstadion whilst Mainz entertains Werder Bremen at the Stadion am Bruchweg.

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