By Rich M
VfL Bochum 1848 picked up an important win on Friday with a 2:0 score over hosts 1. FC Köln. Bochum’s first goal came early in the match, when Köln’s Timo Hübers fouled Anthony Antwi-Adjei, allowing Kevin Stöger to score. Bochum then sealed the victory in the 76th minute, when Erhan Masovic smashed in the ball from close range. The penalty was the first for Bochum this season, and Stöger’s conversion was his first in the Bundesliga. The win was Bochum’s first over Köln in the Bundesliga since April 2004, and moves the club clear of the relegation zone going into the rest of the weekend’s competition. Friday’s contest was not the only league derby this weekend: on Saturday, Bayern will host nearby Augsburg, and on Sunday, Freiburg will host nearby Hoffenheim. But the biggest derby of all is Saturday’s Revierderby between hosts FC Schalke 04 and visitors Borussia Dortmund. Saturday’s match between Schalke and Dortmund is the 100th Revierderby of the Bundesliga era, and comes at a time when the two clubs are experiencing very different fortunes. Dortmund are tied on points at the top of the table with Bayern, while Bochum’s victory on Friday left Schalke back at the bottom of the table. But one thing is shared by both clubs at the moment: a recent unbeaten streak that not only benefits them, but also has implications for other clubs in the table. Schalke’s unbeaten streak now numbers six games and includes five clean sheets. Dortmund did suffer a defeat to Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League earlier in the week, but that defeat was their first in eleven games in all competitions. On Saturday, Dortmund will be without the services of Julian Brandt, who suffered a hamstring injury in the Chelsea match, along with Karim Adeyemi and Youssoufa Moukoko, while Schalke’s injuries include Dominick Drexler, Soichiro Kozuki, and Danny Latza. The statistics going into this derby clearly favor Dortmund, as the Royal Blues are currently on the longest goalless run in the derby history: five games spanning 454 minutes. Dortmund have also won the last four derbies against Schalke, which is their longest winning run in the fixture since the years 1964 to 1967, when they picked up eight in a row. One other interesting statistic is worth watching: the last time Dortmund picked up eight straight Bundesliga wins, the club won the title. Sunday’s derby between Freiburg and Hoffenheim will be important for Freiburg’s chances of staying in the top four, and it’s a personal matter for Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo: it was Hoffenheim who gave the Italian national his big break as a teenager.
VfL Bochum 1848 picked up an important win on Friday with a 2:0 score over hosts 1. FC Köln. Bochum’s first goal came early in the match, when Köln’s Timo Hübers fouled Anthony Antwi-Adjei, allowing Kevin Stöger to score. Bochum then sealed the victory in the 76th minute, when Erhan Masovic smashed in the ball from close range. The penalty was the first for Bochum this season, and Stöger’s conversion was his first in the Bundesliga. The win was Bochum’s first over Köln in the Bundesliga since April 2004, and moves the club clear of the relegation zone going into the rest of the weekend’s competition. Friday’s contest was not the only league derby this weekend: on Saturday, Bayern will host nearby Augsburg, and on Sunday, Freiburg will host nearby Hoffenheim. But the biggest derby of all is Saturday’s Revierderby between hosts FC Schalke 04 and visitors Borussia Dortmund. Saturday’s match between Schalke and Dortmund is the 100th Revierderby of the Bundesliga era, and comes at a time when the two clubs are experiencing very different fortunes. Dortmund are tied on points at the top of the table with Bayern, while Bochum’s victory on Friday left Schalke back at the bottom of the table. But one thing is shared by both clubs at the moment: a recent unbeaten streak that not only benefits them, but also has implications for other clubs in the table. Schalke’s unbeaten streak now numbers six games and includes five clean sheets. Dortmund did suffer a defeat to Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League earlier in the week, but that defeat was their first in eleven games in all competitions. On Saturday, Dortmund will be without the services of Julian Brandt, who suffered a hamstring injury in the Chelsea match, along with Karim Adeyemi and Youssoufa Moukoko, while Schalke’s injuries include Dominick Drexler, Soichiro Kozuki, and Danny Latza. The statistics going into this derby clearly favor Dortmund, as the Royal Blues are currently on the longest goalless run in the derby history: five games spanning 454 minutes. Dortmund have also won the last four derbies against Schalke, which is their longest winning run in the fixture since the years 1964 to 1967, when they picked up eight in a row. One other interesting statistic is worth watching: the last time Dortmund picked up eight straight Bundesliga wins, the club won the title. Sunday’s derby between Freiburg and Hoffenheim will be important for Freiburg’s chances of staying in the top four, and it’s a personal matter for Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo: it was Hoffenheim who gave the Italian national his big break as a teenager.
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