VfL Bochum's push for survival in the Bundesliga continues on Sunday at Vonovia Ruhrstadion when they host Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt.
The home team miraculously defeated Bayern Munich 3-2 last Saturday, and the result means they come into the weekend in the league's 16th-placed relegation playoff spot with 20 points, while the visitors are fourth with 42 points and lost 2-1 against Union Berlin on March 9.
Match preview
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Bochum trailed 2-0 against the Bavarians after just 28 minutes but rallied after Bayern midfielder Joao Palhinha was sent off late in the first half when the score was 2-1, creating three big chances and scoring twice in the second half.
The hosts had only scored three or more goals once in their previous 26 Bundesliga games, though it should be said that they have found the back of the net eight times in their past five league matches, as many as they had managed in their prior 10.
Head coach Dieter Hecking will know that his team have a realistic chance of survival given they are only five points from 15th-placed St Pauli and have a game in hand, but they are also only four points ahead of 18th and last-placed Heidenheim.
Bochum's form of late has been strong considering they have won two, drawn one and lost just one of their last four in the top flight, and only five teams in the Bundesliga picked up more points in that period.
While Hecking's side have been beaten in two of their last three at home, they only lost 1-0 in both games and have triumphed in three of their past six at Vonovia Ruhrstadion.
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Opponents Eintracht Frankfurt could have easily avoided loss against Union Berlin had they converted their 95th-minute penalty, but Hugo Ekitike's strike was saved, and his team were overtaken by Mainz 05 in the table.
Boss Dino Toppmoller did oversee a 4-1 victory against Ajax on Thursday in the Europa League, and his side advanced into the quarter-finals of the competition after winning 6-2 on aggregate.
The Eagles occupy the final Champions League qualification spot and are only two points from third-placed Mainz, but just four points separate them from seventh-placed Wolfsburg.
Eintracht Frankfurt will hope for a repeat of their performance against Bochum in the reverse fixture given they beat Sunday's hosts 7-2 on November 2, a game in which they scored four first-half goals and managed to get six different players on the scoresheet.
Although Toppmoller's side have won two of their last three in all competitions, those two victories came against Ajax in the Europa League, and his team have lost their past three in the top flight while conceding 10 goals.
The visitors' away record is poor, with the club only achieving two victories in their nine most recent games on the road.
Team News
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Bochum will be without suspended centre-back Bernardo, but they will be able to start a back three consisting of Tim Oermann, Ivan Ordets and Jakov Medic.
Dani de Wit, Ibrahima Sissoko and Tom Krauss are likely to be stationed in a midfield three considering Matus Bero is expected to miss out due to illness.
Up front, fans could see a front two of Philipp Hofmann and Giorgos Masouras given forward Moritz Broschinski is a doubt.
As for the Eagles, goalkeeper Kevin Trapp has been ruled out, while centre-back Arthur Theate may return to the pitch in the days after Sunday's clash.
Perhaps shot-stopper Kaua Santos will be positioned behind centre-backs Tuta, Robin Koch and Nnamdi Collins.
Striker Igor Matanovic is unlikely to be available as a result of a foot injury, but there is no reason to suggest that he would have started ahead of Ekitike.
VfL Bochum possible starting lineup:
Horn; Oermann, Ordets, Medic; Passlack, De Wit, Sissoko, Krauss, Wittek; Hofmann, Masouras
Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Santos; Tuta, Koch, Collins; Kristensen, Skhiri, Larsson, Brown; Gotze, Uzun; Ekitike
We say: VfL Bochum 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Bochum have found goals easier to come by of late, and they will be confident of opening the scoring against the visitors.
Eintracht Frankfurt may come into the clash with less energy given their European exploits, and it would not be surprising if they dropped points once again.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
