VfL Bochum II won the city derby against SG Wattenscheid 09 3-0. Head coach Heiko Butscher praised his team and was thrilled by the record crowd.
City derby, 6,000 spectators, Bundesliga stadium – what a great afternoon for amateur football in Westphalia. VfL Bochum II beat neighboring SG Wattenscheid 09 3-0 (1-0) in the local derby. Both sets of fans created an extraordinary atmosphere and a record crowd in the Ruhr Stadium. Never before this season have more fans come to watch an Oberliga game.
VfL’s U21 head coach Heiko Butscher spoke of “the most complicated game of the season”. Why? “We are in first place, playing consistently, and have professional support. Everyone expects us to win clearly against mid-table teams,” explained the former professional.
Contrary to expectations, this was not the case. The visitors from Wattenscheid presented themselves courageously and with commitment, and stood up to the league leaders for long periods. “Wattenscheid pushed us to the limit. We had to go above and beyond to be successful. As is so often the case, we came up against an organized team that played well,” analyzed Butscher.
His opposite number, 09 coach Christopher Pache, saw the required attitude of his team, but missed calmness in the penalty area: “We had a lot of the game, unfortunately we lacked concentration for the last ball and punch on the last line. Overall, we didn’t shoot on target enough to stress the opponent.”
The opener for VfL’s 1-0 lead was a header from central defender Mohammed Tolba following a corner shortly before half-time (43′). “That’s why one team is at the top. They have an uncanny power and presence in the air, which is very difficult to defend against. That makes all the difference,” explained Pache.
“Insane” – 09 coach Pache praises away traveler
In the second half, the blue-whites were able to bring more and more routine into the game. When the SGW put all their eggs in one basket and threw everything forward, the VfL finally put the lid on it with goals from Benjamin Dreca (85′) to make it 2-0 and Luca Bernsdorf (90’+) to make it 3-0.
Afterwards, there was a wild celebration in front of the east curve. “Our humility sets us apart. We have an incredibly positive team spirit. I have to give all the players a compliment. It’s not a given that you win this game. It was a great match for the city,” said the VfL II coach.
On the opposite side, a disappointed but proud SGW coach thanked the almost 1,000 Wattenscheid fans who had traveled with him for minutes on end. “Insane, that’s absolutely crazy by Oberliga standards,” said Pache. The 36-year-old savored the atmosphere on the sidelines with every breath: ‘It just goes to show what Wattenscheid is capable of time and again. This interaction between fans and players is the most important piece of the puzzle for a club. We can be incredibly proud of that.’