Fortuna Düsseldorf took a significant step towards Bundesliga promotion with a 3-0 away victory against Bochum in the first leg of their relegation/promotion playoff on Thursday.
Despite the support of Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka, who was in the stands wearing a Bochum jersey to back his boyhood club, Bochum struggled throughout the match.
The game began unfavorably for Bochum when defender Philipp Hofmann inadvertently scored an own goal. In the 13th minute, Christos Tzolis’ corner hit the near post and rebounded off Hofmann’s thigh into the net, giving Düsseldorf an early lead.
Düsseldorf doubled their advantage in the 64th minute. Tzolis, once again involved, set up Felix Klaus, who finished a swift counterattack to make it 2-0. The third goal came in the 72nd minute when Yannik Engelhardt converted a rebound from Tzolis’ free kick, sealing a commanding win for the visitors.
Goretzka's presence could not prevent Bochum from extending their losing streak to three games. Bochum’s last victory was a 4-3 win at Union Berlin, which briefly lifted their survival hopes. However, Bochum's subsequent 4-1 defeat at Werder Bremen confirmed their third-from-bottom finish in the Bundesliga, just above relegated Darmstadt and Cologne.
Düsseldorf, who finished third in the second division, is aiming for a return to the Bundesliga after being relegated in 2000. The second leg of the playoff will take place in Düsseldorf on Monday.
Meanwhile, St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel have already secured promotion to the Bundesliga, finishing first and second respectively in the second division.
