Though they began as the only side without a point in the league this campaign, in the wake of Thomas Reis’ dismissal following Bochum's 3-1 defeat to FC Schalke 04, the hosts needed less than ten minutes to slice through the Vonovia Ruhrstadion fog. Benno Schmitz found himself powerless in preventing Gerrit Holtmann’s ricocheted cross from creeping past Marvin Schwäbe, but the early stretches of the post-Reis era may have become even better in the 20th minute when the menacing Holtmann struck the left-hand post with Schwäbe well beaten.
Bochum continued to look menacing with HT approaching, but Cologne were far from out of it, especially with only reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich emerging victorious in more matches against Bochum than the Billy Goats. The visitors should have drawn level heading into the interval when Ellyes Skhiri seemed to have the net at his mercy, but he could only look on in disappointment after heading wide at the back post.
On course to mastermind only Bochum’s fourth victory in their last 16 Bundesliga matches, interim manager Heiko Butscher would have been pleased with his side’s start to the second half, despite the playing conditions at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion continuously deteriorating due to the degenerating weather. However, with his side yet to register a shot on target, Steffen Baumgart rolled the dice shortly after the hour mark with a treble substitution.
The gambit paid off, but not without a few moments of frustration first, as substitute Linton Maina failed to convert Cologne’s maiden shot on target and Sargis Adamyan hit the post. But with fresh legs on his side, Maina silenced the Vonovia Ruhrstadion with a perfectly executed strike through the legs of a disappointed Manuel Riemann to leave Bochum as the Bundesliga basement boys heading into the September international break.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Linton Maina (FC Cologne)
