The 3-2 defeat suffered by Bayern Munich during their away fixture against VfL Bochum, a team they had previously defeated 7-0 in the reverse encounter last autumn, marked the conclusion of Thomas Tuchel’s tenure at the Bavarian club.
In that pivotal match, Kevin Stöger’s 78th-minute penalty served as the decisive blow that pushed the game beyond Bayern’s grasp. Despite the Rekordmeister’s valiant efforts, which included a spirited comeback despite being reduced to ten men following Dayot Upamecano’s red card, Stöger’s goal provided a crucial two-goal cushion that ultimately sealed the outcome.
Subsequently, Stöger elaborated on his strategic approach against Bayern’s esteemed goalkeeper.
“I waited a long time, I wanted [Neuer] to take the first step,” Stöger said in comments for DAZN, as captured by Tz. “He didn’t, so I had to decide at the last moment. He was inside. It wasn’t the most confident or beautiful penalty, but in the end there are two [types of] penalties: a good one that’s in there and a bad one that’s not in there.”
Stöger also contributed an assist during the match and played a pivotal role in Bochum’s unexpected victory.
His head coach, Thomas Letsch, expressed his delight in his post-game remarks on DAZN.
“It feels good. It always feels good to win,” Letsch said. “Regardless of whether it is Bayern. I’m happy that it’s Bayern today because they’re a team with enormous quality and if you win there, you can’t have done everything wrong.”
In summary, Bochum’s performance was notably commendable, far outweighing any shortcomings, and it has prompted the Bavarians to engage in introspection.