Bochum Beats Hertha: Rösler’s Winning 2. Bundesliga Debut

Uwe Rösler celebrated a perfect debut as coach of VfL Bochum and breathed new life into the relegated Bundesliga team. After seven defeats from the first eight games of the season, VfL with Rösler on the sidelines defeated Hertha BSC 3:2 (2:0) and showed a committed performance.

1,609 days after his last second division game as a coach, Rösler celebrated an own goal from Berlin’s Michal Karbownik (13th minute) and a brace from Francis Onyeka (32nd/60th) on Saturday evening. Curiously, four and a half years ago, as coach of Fortuna Düsseldorf, Rösler also met his colleague Stefan Leitl, who had led Greuther Fürth to promotion to the Bundesliga in that game.

In shorts at seven degrees Celsius

When we met again, this time as Hertha coach, Leitl saw that his team had been playing poorly for a long time. The comeback with goals from Luca Schuler (72nd) and captain Fabian Reese (80th/penalty) came too late. Even with the first goal, the Berlin backline was disorganized. Defender Toni Leistner looked very unhappy with the second and third goals conceded.

In addition, the new VfL coach’s measures worked: double goalscorer Onyeka was one of four new players who came into the team under interim coach Daniel Siewers compared to the last game.

Rösler watched the game wearing shorts despite temperatures of just seven degrees Celsius and was actively involved in his coaching zone throughout the entire game. With six points, the Bochum team, who had previously only won a single game under Dieter Hecking and Siewers, are back in touch with the non-relegation places. Hertha is still stuck in midfield with eleven points.