Sports

Union Berlin Vs Bochum Suspended After Goalkeeper Hit By Object

Union Berlin’s Bundesliga match against bottom-placed Bochum was halted for nearly 30 minutes after Bochum goalkeeper Patrick Drewes was struck by an object thrown from the crowd.

The 31-year-old German was preparing for a goal-kick in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, with the score tied at 1-1, when he was hit by what appeared to be a cigarette lighter.

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Drewes collapsed to his knees and required medical attention, prompting referee Martin Petersen to suspend the match and send both teams to the dressing rooms.

When play resumed, Bochum striker Philipp Hofmann had to step in as goalkeeper since all substitutions had already been used. However, both teams avoided serious play, opting instead to pass the ball around until the final whistle. Drewes was taken to a hospital for further evaluation, the club confirmed.

Speaking to Sky Germany, Hofmann said the teams collectively decided not to compete further, adding that such actions from the stands are “completely unacceptable.”

Bochum managing director Ilja Kaenzig criticized the referee’s decision to resume the match, stating the club played “under protest” and planned to appeal. “The rules are clear: we had exhausted our substitutions and were at a sporting disadvantage,” he argued.

Union Berlin confirmed that the individual responsible for throwing the object had been identified and handed over to police. The club’s sporting director, Horst Heldt, stressed it would be wrong to hold the entire club or fanbase accountable for the actions of a single person.