SC Freiburg has successfully turned around its fortunes with a narrow 1-0 victory over VfL Bochum, increasing the latter's relegation concerns. The match, held at the Ruhrstadion on February 1, 2025, was marked by Kiliann Sildillia's header, the only goal of the game, which came in the 34th minute.
This victory for Freiburg is significant; it ends a disheartening streak of three consecutive losses and marks their first win on the road since early October. The match was witnessed by 25,900 supporters, many of whom celebrated with excitement as Freiburg secured their hard-fought win.
Before this match, VfL Bochum appeared to be finding their footing, having accrued seven points from three recent home games. Yet against Freiburg, they struggled to make any impactful moves. Coach Dieter Hecking’s side, which now sits at the bottom of the Bundesliga table, seemed lackluster and failed to convert chances.
Freiburg entered the game without the newly signed winger Jan-Niklas Beste, who had joined the squad just the day before. Instead, the responsibility of initiating threats came largely from the likes of captain Christian Günter and Vincenzo Grifo, who were tasked with creating scoring opportunities from the left flank.
Initially, Freiburg found themselves on the back foot, with Nicolas Höfler inadvertently testing their goalkeeper Noah Atubolu. They escaped early trouble when Gerrit Holtmann’s long-range effort hit the crossbar (21'), maintaining the scoreline at zero. It was clear from the start, though, efforts from Freiburg were stunted as they battled defensively.
Despite their struggle to launch forward offensively, Freiburg managed to break the deadlock. A corner taken by Günter found Sildillia, who rose above the Bochum defenders, meeting the ball with his head and sending it past goalkeeper Patrick Drewes, igniting cheers from the travelling Freiburg fans.
After the halftime break, Freiburg came close to doubling their lead. Merlin Röhl had a golden opportunity but squandered it by firing over from near the penalty spot. Freiburg maintained momentum, with Eren Dinkci showing his prowess by weaving through defenders only to be thwarted by Drewes. Shortly after, Ivan Ordets made a last-ditch effort, clearing the ball off the line for Bochum, indicating the home team was under immense pressure.
With the score still tight, Hecking made a bold triple substitution, bringing on Myron Boadu and new signing Tom Krauß, hoping to invigorate his side. Yet, the energy shift did little to change the course of the game. Bochum continued to lack the creativity and firepower needed to penetrate Freiburg's defense.
Any hopes of aggression were often extinguished, as attempts to reach the Freiburg box were few and far between, and when they did manage to threaten the defense, Atubolu proved up to the task—saving well against headers from Philipp Hofmann and later against Koji Miyoshi.
This match highlighted Freiburg’s expected resilience following their recent struggles, yet it also underlined the pressing issues faced by VfL Bochum as they strive to avoid relegation as the season progresses. The pressure mounts for Hecking’s squad as they prepare for the next fixtures, barring any surprise recovery soon as their next matches could prove pivotal.
For Freiburg, this victory might be just the boost they need as they aim to climb out of their recent slump and secure their position away from the relegation zone. The fans will be hoping this win marks the beginning of more positive results.