RB Leipzig’s Sturm stars Timo Werner and Christopher Nkunku thoroughly spoiled Thomas Letsch’s debut as coach of Bundesliga bottom VfL Bochum. The recently often scolded Werner and Nkunku shone on Saturday in the well-deserved 4-0 (2-0) against an overwhelmed relegation candidate with two goals each.
In addition to Werner (15th/53rd), who scored his goals 100 and 101 in the RB dress, Nkunku (23rd) first scored a penalty kick and in the 85th after a strong attack that sealed Bochum’s seventh defeat of the season. Nkunku (64′) even hit the post in the second half.
Rose and Letsch know each other
Bochum, who started badly historically and were still well served with the result, are still without a win with one point from eight games. For Letsch, who recently inherited the dismissed Thomas Reis, the road to remaining in the class in this form will be a long one. On the other hand, Marco Rose, who replaced Domenico Tedesco at the beginning of September, achieved his second success in his fourth competitive game as RB coach and made amends for the 0-3 defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach before the international break.
Letsch, who has been friends with Rose since they were at Red Bull Salzburg, didn’t let himself be looked at when it came to the line-up before the game – in the end he went for a 3-5-2 at the start. Debutant Jannes Horn and Jacek Goralski rotated in for Kevin Stöger and Philipp Hofmann. Bochum’s five-man chain should be stable, but the hosts quickly found their gaps.
After a great combination via Dominik Szoboszlai and Andre Silva, who Rose had recently certified as good training performance, Werner (6th) was completely free in front of the VfL goal and shot from 14 meters to the post. Silva (14th) aimed just wide from the edge of the penalty area before Werner did better. A rebound flew from Marcel Halstenberg directly into the barrel of the national striker, who executed calmly.
RB then ran again and again, Mohamed Simakan in particular was extremely active on the right side. Leipzig often played quickly into the depths, so that Bochum sometimes only knew how to help themselves with fouls. Horn (22nd) put Nkunku in the penalty area before the Frenchman converted the penalty safely. The guests managed almost no relief at the front and had to tremble at the back again and again. Szoboszlai (26th) tested Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann from an acute angle.
After the break, Letsch reacted to the weak first half with a three-way substitution – Stöger, Hofmann and Christopher Antwi-Adjei came on, but Leipzig scored. Werner pushed the ball over the line after Silva had failed at the post. Nkunku also put his second penalty kick on the aluminum a little later, but shortly before the final whistle he scored goal number two.
