Both sides showed their defensive capabilities as they cancelled each other out in tonight's clash.

A win would’ve come in handy for both of these sides coming into this evening’s game. Bochum recently dismissed head coach Peter Neururer after a dismal run that saw them win just 1 in 10 after going the first 7 games unbeaten; assistant coach Frank Heinemann has replaced him in the run-up to tonight’s game. Sandhausen have had a season filled with highs and lows, in their last match they beat promotion-chasing Fortuna Düsseldorf 3-1 away but languish in 13th thanks to defeats to sides around them throughout the season, 3-0 to FSV Frankfurt for example.

Heinemann made 3 changes for his first game in charge after last week’s 3-3 draw at home to lowly St. Pauli. Timo Perthel was dropped from the squad altogether and replaced by Tobias Weis whilst Onur Bulut was brought in at the expense of Selim Gündüz who was dropped to the bench. On the other side Alois Schwartz made no changes to his side after their superb victory at Düsseldorf.

An early chanced passed Bochum by in the 1st minute when a decent cross from Yusuke Tasaka found Stanislav Šesták at the back post but the Slovakian could only find the side netting from tight angle. For the next 10 minutes neither side was able to create an opportunity of real quality. In the 13th minute Marco Thiede fouled Simon Terodde about 25 yards from his own goal. Tasaka stepped up to take it and it looked destined for the top corner before Manuel Riemann produced a superb stop to deny the Japanese midfielder.

Sandhausen created their first opportunity in the 19th minute when Aziz Bouhaddouz pulled the ball back for Thiede inside the box before he passed it to Denis Linsmayer on the edge of the box. The 23 year-old’s first touch caused the ball to bounce slightly allowing him to volley his effort that went just over Andreas Luthe’s crossbar.

Tasaka then missed a golden opportunity for his side after some hectic play inside the Sandhausen 18-yard box. An initial cross from the right wing was headed away by the Sandhausen defenders but only as far as Danny Latza on the edge of the box. His pile driver was deflected off of the thigh of Terodde who then managed to reclaim the ball and send it across goal for Tasaka who from close range struck Riemann with his attempt.

In the 34th minute we saw our first yellow card of the game when Patrick Fabian was booked for a high elbow that caught the side of Bouhaddouz’s face just outside the far corner of the box. Leart Paqarada stepped up to take the set piece but sent it just over the crossbar to the relief of a helpless Luthe.

Tasaka had yet another chance in the 43rd minute when he appeared to over hit his costless-kick from distance but it nearly caught out Riemann who at the last minute was able to back track and palm the ball away for a corner which came to nothing.

Sandhausen opened the second 45 by wasting a great opportunity inside the Bochum box. An initial costless kick from the left-hand side was headed down by Manuel Stiefer to Andrew Wooten who gave it back to the German midfielder. Stiefler had a shot on the turn that rebounded off of Riemann and fell to Wooten but the big German couldn’t get his leg over the ball and fired over as a result.

Bochum’s opening effort of the half didn’t come until the 58th minute and it was thanks to a goalkeeping error that it nearly went in. A long, lofted costless kick from Tasaka was floating into the box and tempted Riemann to come off of his line. Just as it looked like he would gather easily he appeared to be blocked by Anthony Losilla allowing Fabian to head over the keeper but he was denied a goal by the covering Seyi Olajengbesi.

After this opportunity the game was very disappointing, both side lacked the ability to create and as a result there were no chances of note with the only events of note being a substitutions and bookings. Lukas Kübler was booked for a challenge on Tasaka whilst Paqarada was booked for a rather nasty challenge on Gündüz.