Leaders Dortmund stumble into title race with 1-1 draw at Bochum football news
Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund’s title chances suffered a serious blow on Friday after they were held to a 1-1 draw by VfL Bochum in the Mini Ruhr derby.
With four games left to play, Dortmund are on 61 points, two points clear of second-placed Bayern Munich, who will beat bottom club Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
Chasing their first Bundesliga title in 11 years, Dortmund looked far from serious contenders, struggling to break down a solid Bochum defence.
He was furious with the referee and VAR after two claims for penalties late in the game.
Dortmund coach Edin Terzic said, “It is very bitter for us. It was an intense game but we had chances.”
“I’m sorry for my tone and my feelings, but I said this last week that for us and for me it is probably the only time in our lives to get so close to the title.”
“Then you have decisions like that when there’s a lot at stake. I only asked the referee to have a look at it.”
The visitors found themselves 1–0 up after five minutes following a powerful strike from just outside the box by Anthony Losila.
Yet Bochum’s joy only lasted two minutes when the unmarked Karim Adeyemi tapped in at the far post to equalise.
But the goal failed to inject any urgency into Dortmund’s game, with Terzic shouting from the sidelines.
They thought they had earned a spot kick when Adeyemi was brought down in the box in the 65th minute but the referee allowed play to continue.
Their best chance of the second half came after Marco Reus came on in the 73rd minute, in which the midfielder set up Youssef Moukoko, but his effort was cleared by Bochum keeper Manuel Reimann.
Reimann made an even better save to deny Jude Bellingham in the 76th, before Donnell Malen, who had scored in the last five games, sent the ball wide with a sensational back-heel.
Dortmund put the ball into the net in stoppage time but Mats Hummels headed home for offside. The visitors also needed a spot kick earlier for the Bochum handball.
With Terzic booked for dissent in stoppage time, Bellingham made a last-gasp effort and Dortmund eventually ran out of time. He will now have to wait for Sunday’s result in Munich to know what his title chances look like.
