#B04BOC review: ‘I never thought he'd do it with a header’

Summary: Adli's lightening strike makes the difference

The Werkself made a dream start with the Black and Reds taking the lead after 180 seconds: Moussa Diaby put the ball through to Jeremie Frimpong on the right flank and he crossed from the byline to Amine Adli at the far post. The Frenchman's header was saved by Manuel Riemann but the whole of the ball was over the goal line – 1-0 (3’). Both teams played on the front foot – although VfL adopted a more defensive approach and increasingly relied on counter-attacks. Both teams were keen to attack.

Florian Wirtz (16’/39’/54’), Daley Sinkgraven (42’) and Paulinho (77’) had promising opportunities to extend the lead but lacked accuracy in their finishing. At the other end, Asano had the best chance for VfL Bochum but the Japan international failed to beat Jonathan Tah, who was able to clear the ball off the line with an impressive sliding intervention (26’). The scoreline remained 1-0. Bayer 04 picked up three really important points after a run of four Bundesliga matches without a win. The match report is  HERE.

Reaction: "Too open an encounter"

"We're happy to have picked up three points in the end," declared Jonathan Tah after the final whistle before adding: "But we can't be satisfied with the way we won this game. We were not decisive enough and it could have gone the other way." Head coach Gerardo Seoane adopted a similar line at the post-match press conference. "For me," said the Swiss coach, "it was too open an encounter. We didn't handle certain situations well and didn't close down space. But in the end we had the better scoring chances and I believe we were the deserving winners." The narrow victory also pointed to VfL being a strong opponent at the BayArena. Seoane: "Today, it was the expected difficult match against opponents who have recently picked up good results. Bochum made it difficult for us today so it's hats off to my team."

Personnel: Adli's first league goal – Tapsoba celebrates landmark

He's done it: Amine Adli scored his very first Bundesliga goal for the Werkself on Saturday. The 21-year-old, who has previously scored for the Black and Reds in the Europa League, made his eighth start of the season under coach Gerardo Seoane in the game against Bochum. "He has lots of energy, the team benefits from his running and in the way he gets forward. We are happy for him scoring his first goal," said the 43-year-old in assessing the development of the Frenchman under the Bayer Cross and he added with a wink: "I never thought it would be a headed goal." Adli also commented on his first goal following the game on Bayer 04 TV: "I'm very happy,” he declared. "I've waited a long time for this moment of scoring my first goal in the Bundesliga. It was also the winner. Therefore, I'm also happy for the team."

Edmond Tapsoba also had good reason to be happy. The 22-year-old defender from Burkina Faso celebrated a landmark against VfL: It was his 50th Bundesliga match for Bayer 04. Here's to the next 50, Eddy!

Stats: Key player Florian Wirtz

Tah's self-criticism after the game (“It could have gone the other way”) was also reflected in the stats. The number of shots on goal was clearly in favour of the visitors: Bochum made a total of 21 attempts with the Werkself unleashing 11 shots at the goal of VfL keeper Manuel Riemann. In terms of possession, the Black and Reds had the edge (55%). Meanwhile for Leverkusen, Florian Wirtz not only had the most attempts (4) but also set up the most shots on goal (3). Eduard Löwen (4 attempts,4 shots set up) stood out for Bochum.

What the papers say: Praise for Adli and Andrich

The two players with the best marks for Bayer 04, according to the Rheinische Post, were Lukas Hradecky and Amine Adli. The latter scored the only goal of the game and the captain kept a clean sheet for the seventh time this season. "His first Bundesliga goal gave the young Frenchman a boost," reported the paper in summing up at his performance and also credited him with "a lot of commitment" in the rest of the game. The Kicker analysis of the clash between Bayer 04 and VfL Bochum said the game was played "on equal terms" with "the Werkself having the edge." The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger talks about a "scrappy win" for the Black and Reds. The local journal named Robert Andrich the Man of the Match: The 26-year-old "looked like a beacon in the Leverkusen confusion" that the others "were able to adjust to in dangerous situations."

Outlook: Double fixture week for the Werkself

Gerardo Seoane's team does not have long to rest. The next double fixture week awaits: The Werkself return to the Europa League stage on Thursday, 25 November with the group match against Celtic. The kick-off at the BayArena is at 18.45 CET. The next Bundesliga fixture for Kerem Demirbay and Co. is on Sunday, 28 November (kick-off: 17.30 CET) – the Black and Reds, who are now in fourth place thanks the three points, are away to RB Leipzig on matchday 13.