Fortuna Düsseldorf beats Bochum 3-0 away to take giant step toward Bundesliga promotion

BOCHUM, Germany (AP) — Not even Leon Goretzka’s presence could help Bochum’s chances of staying in the Bundesliga.

An own goal, a counterattack and a rebound gave Fortuna Düsseldorf a big advantage with a 3-0 win in Bochum in the first leg of their Bundesliga relegation/promotion playoff on Thursday.

Bochum defender Philipp Hofmann was the unlucky figure early on as Christos Tzolis’ corner in the 13th minute struck the near post and rebounded in off Hofmann’s thigh.

Tzolis then set up Felix Klaus to make it 2-0 on a fast break in the 64th, and Yannik Engelhardt converted the rebound from Tzolis’ free kick in the 72nd.

Bayern Munich midfielder Goretzka was watching from the stands in a Bochum jersey to support his boyhood club.

But all Goretzka saw was Bochum’s losing run stretching to three games since a 4-3 win at Union Berlin had prematurely lifted its survival hopes. Union clinched survival on the final day of the season with a late win over Freiburg, while Bochum slumped to 4-1 loss at Werder Bremen.

Bochum finished third from bottom in the Bundesliga — above relegated Darmstadt and Cologne — and is bidding to stay in the division, while Düsseldorf finished third in the second division and is bidding for a return to the Bundesliga after its relegation in 2000 brought an end it its two-season stay.

The teams meet again in Düsseldorf on Monday for the second leg of the playoff.

Both St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel were already promoted to the Bundesliga after finishing first and second, respectively, in the second division.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer