Xabi Alonso made three changes to the side that started Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League defeat at Liverpool as Robert Andrich and Jonas Hofmann came in for midfielders Exequiel Palacios and Aleix Garcia, while Schick got the nod over Victor Boniface up front. Bochum were playing their first game under new head coach Dieter Hecking and got stuck in from the start. The Werkself soon began to exert some control with possession, as the hosts sat back looking to counter from a solid base.
Bochum managed to keep the Werkself at bay for the first quarter of an hour before Hofmann’s quick free-kick from the halfway line to Florian Wirtz, who slipped in Schick running in behind up the inside left to finish beyond Patrick Drewes with the help of the inside of the far post. It turned into more of a one-sided affair after that, but the hosts stood firm and also started to create a few chances in transition. Bayer 04 maintained over 75 percent possession for much of the first half and very nearly had a second just after the half-hour mark, but Jeremie Frimpong’s finish from a Schick pass was saved by Drewes.
Alonso’s men continued to get forward after the break, with Alejandro Grimaldo and Schick having the first opportunities inside the first few minutes. But Bochum had some themselves and started to grow into the game in the second half. Lukas Hradecky and his defence were kept busy at times and also struggled to create much at the other end.
Nathan Tella was introduced for Hofmann on the hour to add some fresh impetus. Bochum also made changes, but it was Leverkusen who had the ball in the net next when Frimpong finished from Wirtz, but the latter was flagged offside in the build-up. As the game edged towards the end, the Werkself were still looking to put it to bed while Bochum grew in confidence. That finally paid off for the Bundesliga’s bottom side when Miyoshi slotted in an equaliser with 90 minutes on the clock.
It’s now the final international break of the year. Leverkusen return to action in a fortnight with a home game against Heidenheim on Saturday, 23 November (3.30pm CET) before a Champions League encounter with Red Bull Salzburg at the BayArena on Wednesday, 26 November (9pm).
Match stats:
Bochum: Drewes - Passlack (De Wit 78'), Oermann, Medic, Wittek - Sissoko, Losilla (Daschner 69') - Broschinski (Miyoshi 69'), Bero, Holtmann (Gamboa 69') - Hofmann
Bayer 04: Hradecky - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie - Frimpong (Garcia 87'), Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo - Hofmann (Tella 63'), Wirtz - Schick (Boniface 77')
Goals: 0-1 Schick (18'), 1-1 Miyoshi (90')
Yellow cards: Schick
Referee: Robert Hartmann
Attendance: 26,000 (sold out) at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion
“Year after year, this is an incredibly valuable gathering, both in terms of the content covered and the opportunity for mutual discussion,” stressed Bayer 04 goalkeeping coach David Thiel in his welcoming address at this year’s goalkeeping coaches’ meeting. This was the third time in four seasons that the event had been held at the BayArena. Organised by the German Football Association (DFB), the meeting brought together goalkeeping coaches from the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2 and the 3rd division from the west region. For the first time this year, goalkeeping coaches from the youth performance centres (NLZ) were also present. Bayer 04 fitness coach Markus Müller provided fascinating insights into the specific fitness training carried out with the Werkself’s goalkeepers.
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