Koji Miyoshi’s 89th-minute equalizer helped struggling VfL Bochum secure a 1-1 draw against Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in a tense clash on Saturday.
The match, held at Bochum’s home ground, saw Leverkusen take an early lead when Patrik Schick capitalized on a brilliant through ball from Florian Wirtz in the 18th minute.
Schick threaded the ball past Bochum goalkeeper Patrick Drewes, and although his shot hit the post, it trickled across the goal line, giving the visitors a narrow advantage.
Despite the early setback, Bochum, now under the leadership of new head coach Dieter Hecking, refused to be dominated.
The hosts put up a disciplined defensive display, closing down spaces and preventing Leverkusen from extending their lead.
However, Bochum struggled to convert their chances in attack, lacking the clinical edge that could have brought them back into the game.
That all changed in the dying moments of the match, when Miyoshi, in the 89th minute, latched onto a loose ball in the box and slammed it home from close range, much to the delight of the home crowd.
The goal salvaged a crucial point for Bochum, who had worked tirelessly to keep Leverkusen at bay.
For Leverkusen, the draw marks a frustrating continuation of their inconsistent form in the Bundesliga.
After suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League earlier in the week, the visitors had seemed on course for an important away victory.
However, the late equalizer means Leverkusen have now dropped 11 points from winning positions this season — the most by any team in the league.
This contrasts sharply with last season, when under coach Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen became just the second team in Bundesliga history to finish an entire campaign without dropping a single point from a winning position.
The result leaves Leverkusen in fourth place with 17 points, nine adrift of leaders Bayern Munich, as they continue to search for the consistency that characterized their title-winning form of the previous season.
