In a thrilling Saturday evening clash, VfL Bochum edged 1. FC Kaiserslautern 3‑2.
Bochum opened the scoring just 10 minutes in when Philipp Hofmann headed home a precise cross from Maximilian Wittek. Kaiserslautern answered in the 30th minute; Norman Bassette capitalised on a swift counter‑attack, firing a shot that hit the second post for an equaliser. Mid‑half, the visitors went ahead in the 50th minute when Marlon Ritter forced a play in the box and set up Timo Horn, who finished the move to give Kaiserslautern a 2‑1 lead.
Bochum, however, showed resilience. Callum Marshall equalised in the 66th minute after a brilliant through‑ball from Koji Miyoshi, sending him into the far corner. Three minutes later, Mats Pannewig secured the winner: he struck a no‑look finish from a Wittek corner, catching the second post and denying the comeback hopes of Kaiserslautern.
The final minutes were intense, with multiple chances for both sides, but Bochum held on to the hard‑won victory.
The win gives Bochum the vital three points they needed in the fight against relegation, keeping them snugly in ninth place. For Kaiserslautern, the defeat pushed them back to seventh, robbing them of a chance to move closer to the promotion spots.
