The Bundesliga match between 1. FC Union Berlin and VfL Bochum has been officially recorded as a 2-0 win for Bochum, following an incident where a lighter was thrown at Bochum goalkeeper Patrick Drewes. This ruling was made by the Federal Court of the German Football Association (DFB) after a 76-day appeal process following the initial 1-1 draw in Berlin.
This decision alters the landscape of the relegation battle, as the league table will be updated before the upcoming 24th matchday. With the awarded 2-0 victory and two additional points, Bochum will move past 1. FC Heidenheim, leaving them in the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Union Berlin, currently in 13th place, will have one point deducted.
Appeals from Kiel and St. Pauli Rejected
The panel, led by Oskar Riedmeyer, dismissed Union’s appeal against the DFB Sports Court’s ruling made on January 9, which also awarded the match to Bochum with a score of 2-0. At the outset of the hearing at the DFB campus in Frankfurt/Main, the court also rejected appeals from Holstein Kiel and St. Pauli, which claimed the incident had implications for the relegation fight.
With the DFB’s final ruling, Union can only appeal to the Permanent Arbitration Court for Clubs and Corporations.
Significant Incident in Berlin During Injury Time
The match at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei was interrupted for over 25 minutes in the 92nd minute after Drewes was struck by a lighter thrown from the Union supporters. Following the incident, referee Martin Petersen continued the match without Drewes, as Bochum had already used all their substitutes, forcing striker Philipp Hofmann to temporarily take over in goal. Both teams then exchanged possession merely to conclude the game.