Bochum welcomed bottom side Erzgebirge Aue to the rewirpowerSTADION in the last 2.Bundesliga matchday before the winter break. The hosts, who went in to the game six points clear of a relegation play-off place, knew they needed three points to make life more comfortable.

The visitors went bottom after St Pauli beat Aalen and were struggling for form. They went into the match looking for a first win in nine to keep pace with the league's other strugglers. Bochum have drawn three consecutive games in a row, scoring three and keeping two clean sheets.

It was the visitors who started the brighter of the two teams and they had the ball for the majority of the opening minutes. Aue forced Bochum to play very deep, while in the stands was Gertjan Verbeek, who will be officially unveiled as the new Bochum boss tomorrow. The visitors had a goalscoring chance with only five minutes gone, as Schönfeld made a run into the box but the linesman had his flag up for offside.

After Aue's dominant start Bochum made a chance of their own, the ball was crossed dangerously in to the box and went to Tasaka though his shot didn't trouble Männel in the visiting goal. The rebound came out to Weis who's shot just went over.

Japanese midfielder Yusuke Tasaka again got the ball on the edge of the penalty area but his shot was easily blocked by the Aue defence. Bochum looked to be more clinical in the final third and with the better chances should have been winning the game.

Novikovas managed to dribble past Fabian before Celozzi slid in to give away a corner, following a great piece of play by the visitors. Another great opportunity came the way of Aue, Cacutalua accidentally played through Novikovas who found himself costless in the box with plenty of time, but was hesitant and didn't release his shot.

Erzgebirge had been the better team for the opening half hour or so, unfortunately they couldn't make Bochum pay with a number of missed chances to take the lead. An attack by Terrode towards the visitor's goal almost made them pay, though yet another good save from Männel kept the score level.

Aue finally made their dominance pay on the thirty third minute. A shot from midfielder Diring rebounded out to the feet of Klingbeil, who's right footed shot gave the visitors a deserved lead. Questions will be asked of 'keeper Esser, with some saying he should have saved the shot.

Esser in the home goal made up for his mistake leading to the goal, with a fantastic tipped save from a Novikovas shot on the edge of the box. Bochum went straight up on the counter attack and Sestak picked the ball on the edge of the box ,but a great block from captain Klingbeil meant the hosts ended up with a corner.

With minutes left to play of the first half, a header in dangerous position by Tasaka went miles wide to the despair of the home fans. This would be the last event of a game dominated by the team, who had started the day at the bottom of the table.

Coach-to-be Gertjan Verbeek wouldn't have been pleased with the performance of the team he was going to inherit. The experienced Dutch manager will be looking to strengthen a weak Bochum team in the winter window.

The hosts made two changes at the start of the second half Gündüz and Butscher coming on for Latza and Cacutalua, two like for like changes. Aue remained unchanged as coach Tomislav Stipic looked to keep the momentum going from the first half.

Bochum created the first real chance of the second half, Tasaka got the ball on the right wing before passing to Terrode who had to control with his chest, he took too long with the ball and was dispossessed.

On the sixty-third minute Forssell came on to replace Tasaka which puzzled the home fans, as the Japanese international had been Bochum's most creative player. With twenty minutes to go, Perthel unleashed a shot from the eighteen yard line and it went just over the bar, much to the relief of Tomislav Stipic's team.

Bochum's confidence was growing, but with all the missed chances it didn't look like it was going to be their day. A Sestak cross went straight to the feet of Gündüz who's left footed shot went in to the hands of Männel. Though, in the ninetieth minute Bochum got their equaliser. Weis struck a right footed shot in the penalty area, which sped past the helpless Männel; the relief was clear to see on the faces of everyone associated with Bochum.

It was sucker punch for those of an Aue persuasion. Bochum deserved a leveller for their second half pressure but Erzgebirge will feel hard done by after having such a good first half. Overall, a literal game of two halves.

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About the author
Liam Watson
Bundesliga fanatic. Fan of Hamburg sv and also love Deutschland lower league football and grounds.