Kevin Stöger remains Mister Reliable from the spot for VfL Bochum. Against Union Berlin, the 29-year-old scored the equalizer on a penalty kick – with a little help from the outside.

There was brief confusion among the journalists present when Kevin Stöger revealed who VfL Bochum had to thank, among others, for the point they earned at Union Berlin. The 29-year-old had confidently converted a penalty for the final score of 1-1 – and that had been no coincidence. “I was still in with ‘Nik’ beforehand,” the scorer gave an insight afterwards into how he had prepared. Niklas Honnet, video analyst of the VfL, is meant. “We saw that the goalkeeper (Frederik Rönnow, editor’s note) jumps relatively quickly. Normally, no keeper stops, as soon as you shoot into the middle, he’s in.” They were to be proved right.

It was the third penalty Stöger had successfully taken in the last five games. And the reward for a spirited start to the second 45 minutes against Union. A change at the break had thereby brought the turnaround. “We built up with five players in the first half, and only four in the second.”

In detail: While Erhan Masovic, who had moved to the six position for the yellow-suspended Anthony Losilla, had dropped between the center backs in the build-up to the game in half one, he held his position in the center of midfield in the second half. It allowed Stöger and Patrick Osterhage to become more offensively oriented and make better use of the outside backs. “I think that helped our game quite a bit.”

The point earned also marked a first for VfL this season. “We said that during halftime: we can take something here. We’ve never done it before.” It was the first point that Bochum has won after falling behind. “That’s how we went out into the second half. We were still confident, even though you’re behind here.”

That led to the penalty that was the deserved equalizer. “For us, it’s just important that everyone takes responsibility. No matter if in front, behind, young or old.” Just as Stöger did with the help of ‘Nik.’