VfL Bochum suffered a narrow defeat at home to Fortuna Düsseldorf on matchday seven of the 2. Bundesliga, losing 1-0.
The setback for the struggling host side arrived early, just four minutes into the game. A free kick from Muslija found Itten, who headed the ball on to Oberdorf, who calmly slotted past the goalkeeper to give Düsseldorf the lead.
Bochum had a chance to equalize in the seventh minute, but Bero’s shot from a central position narrowly missed the target. Itten threatened to extend the visitors’ advantage again in the 17th minute, but goalkeeper Horn made crucial saves to deny both the initial attempt and the subsequent rebound.
A cross from Morgalla in the 28th minute found Wittek, but the player appeared startled and his effort flew wide. Overall, Düsseldorf demonstrated a more focused approach and deservedly held their slender lead heading into halftime.
The second half saw a noticeable improvement from VfL Bochum; Kocierski narrowly missed the target in the 48th minute after a cross from Holtmann. Holtmann himself then had an attempt saved by the impressive Kastenmeier in the 58th minute.
However, clear-cut chances were scarce for the remainder of the match. Fortuna adopted a more defensive strategy, effectively managing their lead. A low shot from substitute Alfa-Ruprecht in the 31st minute caused a moment of concern for Bochum, but was safely handled by Kastenmeier.
The result leaves Bochum languishing in 17th place, while Düsseldorf moves up to ninth in the league standings.
