Zürcher Nachrichten - Frankfurt beat Bochum to tighten grip on top four spot

Kick-off was delayed by 50 minutes as the visiting fans refused to remove banners blocking an emergency exit.

Frankfurt took the lead 27 minutes in when Rasmus Kristensen thumped in his own rebound on the counter.

The visitors doubled their lead shortly afterwards, with Jean-Matteo Bahoya's 32nd-minute strike set up by a brilliant pass from striker Hugo Ekitike.

Gerrit Holtmann pulled one back with 73 minutes gone to give Bochum hope, but former Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi sealed the result with a stoppage-time strike, his second goal in two games since joining the Eagles in winter.

The victory puts Frankfurt fourth, three points ahead of fifth-placed RB Leipzig.

Frankfurt have never qualified for the Champions League through league placing but played in the competition in 2022-23 after winning the Europa League.

Frankfurt, who face Tottenham in the Europa League quarter-finals in April, had lost their previous three league matches.

Bochum were impressive despite the defeat, giving hope that they may pull off a great escape and beat the drop under coach Dieter Hecking.

Hecking took over in November with Bochum having accumulated just one point all season. Since then, Bochum have won 19 points and have beaten giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

Later on Sunday, defending champions Bayer Leverkusen can cut Bayern Munich's lead atop the table to six points with a win at Stuttgart.

Relegation-threatened Heidenheim host fellow strugglers Holstein Kiel in the other game.

D.Graf--NZN