Captain Anthony Losilla spoke after VfL Bochum’s first home win about the relief, his post-shot and his teammates in the center.
“I rarely score goals, so I always have to score dream goals for people to remember,” Anthony Losilla joked last season. It almost happened again in the 3-1 (2-1) win over Wolfsburg.
“What can I say? I’ll just have to shoot more precisely next time.” In retrospect, the Bochum captain was able to laugh about the fact that the ball only crashed against the left post after his volley. In the end, VfL got their first home win of the season without a Losilla dream goal.
“We’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and you can see what’s going on here.” Even before the final whistle, chants of ‘Oh, wie ist schön’ and ‘Never back to the second division’ could be heard. ”We have to take this atmosphere with us to get the next points in the three games before the winter break.”
Despite five games without defeat, there have been expressions of displeasure from the media and fans here and there, especially after the games against Cologne and in Heidenheim. “There’s always criticism when you don’t win,” says Losilla. “Nevertheless, it’s obviously positive that we haven’t lost a game in a long time.”
The difference to the past games: The chances that arose were taken. “We rarely scored three goals, but this will perhaps give us the self-confidence again to become dangerous offensively again in the next games.”
VfL Bochum: Losilla, Osterhage and Bero? That’ll work
In addition, the return of Matus Bero meant that Bochum had a player on the pitch who, like Losilla, doesn’t shy away from a tackle. “Everyone knows that Matus is a player who plays very intensely, makes the runs forward and also works defensively.”
Together with Osterhage, whose form has been improving dramatically in recent weeks, and Kevin Stöger, Bochum dominated the center for long spells. “We are aggressive players who bring a lot of intensity to the pitch. We wanted to win this battle in the center and I think that was a key to this game.”
Yet Bochum almost fell back into familiar patterns: despite a superior first half, the visitors from Wolfsburg needed just one shot on target to pull back to 2-1 shortly before half-time. “It came out of nowhere. We actually had the opponent under control, played high up the pitch, made good ball recoveries and transition moments.”
So in the second 45 minutes, fear of losing the lead again in the Ruhr Stadium also played a role. “In such moments, we are naturally focused on the game, but I think that it is unconsciously in our heads. Then suddenly we are too defensive and stand deeper than usual.”
Wolfsburg became more dangerous, but either a Bochum leg or keeper Manuel Riemann was on the scene – until substitute Christopher Antwi-Adjei finally put the Blue and Whites out of their misery after 87 minutes. “Luckily we had the last push forward to make it 3-1.” Losilla can save his dream goal for another game.