Bochum edge out Bielefeld in close encounter

Bochum secured an important three points at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion this afternoon, edging past Bielefeld in a fiercely contested match.

Philipp Hofmann proved the match-winner, with the veteran striker’s trademark header in the second half enough to separate the sides and hand Bochum a valuable 1-0 victory.

The opening stages were intense and physical, with both teams throwing themselves into challenges and refusing to yield ground. The first major chance fell to Arminia on 25 minutes when Benjamin Boakye slid Thaddäus Momuluh through on goal, but Timo Horn reacted superbly to close the angle and block the effort.

Bochum responded shortly after the half-hour mark. A long clearance sparked a quick counter as Kjell Wätjen burst through on goal, only for Jonas Kersken to tip his low strike around the post with an outstanding fingertip save. Thanks to excellent work from both goalkeepers, the sides went into the break level at 0–0.

After the restart, Bochum looked the more likely to break the deadlock, with Wätjen heavily involved in their best attacking moments. Their persistence paid off in the 70th minute when Moritz-Broni Kwarteng was afforded too much space out wide. His delivery into the six-yard box was inch-perfect for Hofmann, who powered home a header for his 75th 2. Bundesliga goal.

Bielefeld struggled to muster a meaningful response after falling behind, while Bochum continued to look dangerous on the counter and dealt comfortably with any pressure they faced. In the end, Uwe Rösler’s side saw out the final minutes with composure to claim the win.

It marks a significant result for Bochum, who pick up their first home victory in over a month and their fifth under Rösler, lifting them up to ninth place for the moment. Arminia, meanwhile, suffer a third consecutive defeat and drop to twelfth.