In the 17th Bundesliga matchday, FC St. Pauli suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of VfL Bochum. The ball changed hands frequently in the early going, but neither team was able to find the back of the net. The ball then mainly circulated in the midfield, with both teams appearing largely unimpressive. The goalless draw at halftime was, in the end, a fair reflection of the teams’ performances.
The game continued in the same vein after the break, but as the match wore on, it began to take on a more tense atmosphere. The stalemate finally came to an end in the 67th minute, when Philipp Hofmann scored the decisive goal for Bochum. St. Pauli was unable to respond, and the result was sealed. There was a brief stir in added time, when Adam Dzwigala, who had just been substituted in for St. Pauli, received a red card, but this did not alter the outcome.
Bochum’s win in the relegation battle has given the team a glimmer of hope, as they now trail the safety zone by only five points. The outcome of the game against Union Berlin, which is still pending, will ultimately decide their fate. In contrast, St. Pauli is sinking deeper into the relegation zone, with only a single point separating them from the 16th place. Bochum will face Leipzig on Saturday, while St. Pauli will travel to Heidenheim at the same time.