Il Nuovo Postiglione - Leaders Union Berlin lament 'frustrating' loss at Bochum

Union came into the weekend with a four-point lead, but the gap was cut to just one after Bayern Munich defeated Hoffenheim 2-0 on Saturday.

Union coach Urs Fischer admitted that "Bochum were simply better".

"We didn't have the right answers," he told AFP subsidiary SID.

Bochum coach Thomas Letsch said: "I recognised how much desire the team had to get something out of the game (from the start).

"We played a great game and deserved to win."

Bochum took the lead in the final minute of the first half when Philipp Hofmann headed in a corner.

Looking to ignite a tired-looking side exhausted by frequent midweek matches as a result of their Europa League campaign, Fischer made three changes in the 63rd minute.

However it was the home side which continued to look fresher, scoring a second on the counter in the 71st minute when Christopher Antwi-Adjei crossed for Gerrit Holtmann to score.

Union had a chance to mount a comeback when awarded a penalty in the 77th minute, but Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann saved Milos Pantovic's tentative spot-kick.

Pantovic got on the board in the last minute of injury time, but it was not enough as Union failed to secure three points for just the fourth time this season.

Union midfielder Rani Khedira said his side only had themselves to blame for an "unnecessary and frustrating" defeat.

"The first Bochum goal we practically scored ourselves, the second we invited them for a counter.

"If we don't do the basics, it's going to get difficult. We need to push ourselves to the limit in every game."

The win was just Bochum's second of the season, lifting them from last spot in the table ahead of Schalke.

Schalke have a chance of moving back off the foot of the table when they take on Hertha in Berlin in Sunday's late game.

E.Danieli--INP