Stephan Hain struck deep into the final minutes to secure a vital win for 1860 München. The substitute tucked the ball home in the ninety-third minute, after Marius Wolf had previously brought the Lions level just after half-time. Michael Gregoritsch had given Bochum the lead with a lovely curling effort early on, but the birthday boy was unable to celebrate at the final whistle.
Bochum were on the defensive early on with Patrick Fabian making a crucial block to deny 1860 an early opener, but they turned defence into attack and scored a spectacular opener. Michael Gregoritsch picked the ball up on the edge of the area, turned and curled home a quite magnificent effort into the far corner. Vitus Eicher was unable to keep it out at full stretch, as the young Austrian wheeled away in celebration.
Eicher and Andreas Luthe were in fine form and both needed to be at their best to keep either side from adding to the scoreline. The Bochum stopper did magnificently to deny Kai Bülow's point blank header, while Eicher made multiple saves from the troublesome Simon Terrode and Gregortisch; the latter had fully justified Gertjan Verbeek's decision to start him.
The second-half was a role reversal from the first, with 1860 beginning the stronger of the two teams. They were duly rewarded too, as Marius Wolf showed Stefano Celozzi a clean pair of heels to speed past him and finish confidently past Luthe to bring 1860 level.
Bochum were a non-entity as an attacking unit in the second half and that meant that the visiting defence were by far the busier. Luthe made important stops from Stephain Hain, Wolf and Daniel Adlung as the game drew to a close, as it looked like he'd secured his side a draw.
It wasn't to be, however. Hain had different ideas and he knocked the ball in from close range, after some good work by Gary Kagelmacher, sending the home support wild. Some may argue it was slightly undeeserved but that'll matter little to the 1860 players and staff, who climbed back out of the relegation zone and leapfrogged St. Pauli in the process.