Stuttgart triumphs over Bochum: Strompf with an own goal and red!

Stuttgart triumphs over Bochum: Strompf with an own goal and red!

There were several surprises in the exciting DFB Cup duel between VfL Bochum and VfB Stuttgart. While the defending champions from Stuttgart moved into the round of 16 with a 2-0 win, an unfortunate own goal and a controversial red card resulted in Bochum's defeat. The game took place on December 3, 2025 in the Ruhrstadion in front of around 25,940 spectators and gave the fans a thrilling encounter.

The first half started promisingly for Bochum. The team had numerous chances, but was unable to take advantage of them. Kjell Wätjen and Farid Alfa-Ruprecht in particular missed good opportunities that could have turned the game around. However, fate quickly changed: In the 12th minute, Bochum's Philipp Strompf scored an own goal after unfortunately extending a throw-in from Ramon Hendriks. This mishap gave Stuttgart a 1-0 lead and the mood in the stands changed abruptly.

Punishment and consequences

The situation for Bochum escalated shortly before the break. In stoppage time, Strompf received a red card for a foul on Deniz Undav, which, according to video evidence, was seen as an emergency stop. Bochum's managing director criticized the decision as too harsh and petty, while Undav justified the red card as "crystal clear". Bochum had to play the second 45 minutes with one man less.

After the break, Stuttgart dominated the action on the pitch. In the 47th minute, Undav made it 2-0 with his goal, which almost brought Bochum's hope to a standstill. Despite the deficit and the numerical inferiority, the team was unable to get back into the game and was de facto challenged defensively throughout the entire second half. Stuttgart could no longer take control and cleverly played down the time, while VfL was only able to score half-chances in the final quarter of an hour.

Looking into the future

With this victory, VfB Stuttgart moves into the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup, and the fans are already starting to dream of title chances. The next exciting match against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga is next Saturday. For Bochum, however, there is only one way to quickly rehabilitate itself: on Saturday they continue against Arminia Bielefeld in the second division.

The draw for the next round of the cup will be broadcast live on Sportschau on Sunday at 7:15 p.m. Until then, the people of Bochum still have hope of quickly putting the animal failure behind them and starting the coming games with renewed vigor. The statistics show that such unfortunate games are a part of football, with Bochum and Stuttgart expecting some fierce competition this season. Further details and statistics about the DFB Cup can be found at kicker.de.

It remains to be seen whether Stuttgart can defend its title. Football fever in the region remains alive and exciting!

Find out more about what's happening in the DFB Cup Radio Ennepe Ruhr and up Sports show.