Relegation-threatened Bochum grab vital win over leaky Hoffenheim

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BOCHUM, Germany (AP) — Kevin Stoger scored twice as Bochum won for the first time in nine Bundesliga games by a nervy 3-2 over a leaky Hoffenheim on Friday.

Hoffenheim has not kept a clean sheet for 26 games, a record run for the Bundesliga side.

Hoffenheim remained in ninth place after missing a chance to leapfrog Augsburg and Freiburg and move into seventh.

Hoffenheim had a penalty award rescinded after a video review midway through the first half and then fell behind to a superb Stoger free kick after 34 minutes.

Bochum made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time when a defensive howler gave Felix Passlack a free shot on goal from six yards out.

Stoger added a third with a simple tap in after Oliver Baumann parried Moritz Broschinski's effort.

Andrej Kramaric then ensured a jittery finale for the home side by scoring twice.

Bochum was still not out of relegation danger. The win lifted it into 14th place, eight points clear of the two automatic relegation spots with five matches remaining.

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