Robert Tesche’s first goal for VfL Bochum helped them to a first win under Robin Dutt away at FC Ingolstadt 04.
It came after he had given away a penalty, with the spot from Stefan Kutschke saved by Manuel Riemnan.
It moves Bochum back out of the relegation play-off spot, with die Schanzer right in heart of the congested mid-table in the 2. Bundesliga.
Tesche makes up for penalty with a goal at other end
After three games without a win, just as it seemed they were pushing for a promotion challenge, Ingolstadt made three changes for this game from defeat at MSV Duisburg. Frederic Ananou was given a debut, whilst Max Christiansen and Sonny Kittel also came in for Almog Cohen, Maximilian Thalhammer and Paulo Otávio. Bochum made just one change from their draw with 1. FC Nürnberg, with former Ingolstadt striker Lukas Hinteerseer replacing Johannes Wurtz, with Dutt have picked up just a point from his two games so far.
The hosts started strongly, however a cross from Marcel Gaus was too heavy for Stefan Kutschke to make meaningful contact with in the air. The better chances instead came the way of the visitors and Hinterseer, but he hit a cross from Robbie Kruse straight to Örjan Nyland and did likewise with a header soon after.
Ingolstadt were handed the chance to take the lead though when Ananou found Kittel, who beat a defender before being up-ended in the box by Tesche. Kutschke had converted four penalties earlier in the season but he didn’t do so here, with his penalty easy enough for Manuel Riemann, having guessed the right way.
As these things often go, it would be then Bochum to score the opening goal, with the man who gave away the penalty redeeming himself. Kevin Stöger found Tesche, and with the Ingolstadt defence in a mess, the Birmingham City loanee was able to head in. They didn’t learn their lesson either, with Patrick Fabian having a free header from another corner soon after, but that lacked the same direction.
Träsch closest to bringing Ingolstadt level
Bochum had the ball in the net again early on in the second half. Sidney Sam found Kruse who beat Nyland, however twice in the move that followed, including when Sam played the ball, the Australian had been standing in an offside position.
After that Ingolstadt came very close to equalising in astonishing style. Christian Träsch almost caught out Riemann with an odd-looking dipping volley after an initial shot had been blocked. The Bochum keeper did enough to put it over the bar, but it was a close thing, as was the resulting corner, which could easily have gone straight in.
Other than that, both sides really struggled to show any cutting edge whatsoever in the final third for much of the half, with Ingolstadt particularly struggling to find any fluency. The best opening for either side in the latter stages of the game saw Stöger shoot just over the left side of goal, whilst a counter attack in stoppage time, with Nyland having gone up-field, resulting in Janni Serra being flagged offside.
The win moves Bochum out of the bottom three, where they had been before kick-off, to move into 14th place, just three points behind Ingolstadt, who missed the chance themselves to end their poor form and make progress up the table again.