The match between Leverkusen and Bochum on Saturday was an open game with the better end for the favoured Werkself. However, neither side was satisfied at the end.
“It was okay, I’m not satisfied because we didn’t finish it with enough determination and were also too open. We were lucky not to catch another one “, said Leverkusen international Jonathan Tah afterwards on “Sky “ The centre-back himself had been in league with Fortuna in one scene of the first half. In the 41st minute, he hit Christopher Antwi-Adjei, who was rushing for the ball, on the leg from behind on the edge of his own penalty area, thus bringing down the Bochum player.
“I hit his foot from behind, that can be whistled. The referee didn’t blow the whistle. Lucky for me in that situation,” Tah admitted honestly. In fact, referee Daniel Schlager let the game go on. About two minutes later, at a corner kick for Leverkusen, VAR Günter Perl reviewed the situation, but the original decision was not corrected.
Antwi-Adjei, who was involved, saw the situation similarly to Tah: “I’m first to the ball and I get hit on the heel from behind. It wasn’t a hard contact and he certainly didn’t want to hit me on purpose. But I think the penalty can be given,” said the attacking player, who – like Tah on the other side – drew a mixed conclusion of the game from VfL’s point of view. “The performance was right, the result was not. We had a lot of attacks that we didn’t play well. “
Rexhbecaj: “Don’t know what they’re doing in the basement “
The potential penalty scene was not the only one that caused trouble for the Bochum players with the referee. As early as the 30th minute, the promoted team claimed a red card for Jeremie Frimpong, who flicked past the ball in a one-on-one with Elvis Rexhbecaj, hitting the midfielder hard on both knees with an open sole. Schlager “only” gave the Dutchman a yellow card.
The fouled Rexhbecaj – with a thickly bandaged left knee – was still upset about this decision after the game in no uncertain terms: “I don’t know what they’re doing in the Cologne basement. He says it’s just a graze, that it’s dark yellow. But there is no such thing, there is only red or yellow. And that’s yellow then? Maybe it’s because we’re just VfL Bochum. “
