Bochum will protest to the German football association after their goalkeeper Patrick Drewes was hit by a lighter in their Bundesliga draw at Union Berlin on Saturday, with the teams later returning to the pitch to finish the match without trying to score.
With the game level at 1-1 and added time ticking down, the 31-year-old Drewes was hit by a lighter thrown from the crowd, causing him to fall to the ground. “He is currently being taken to the hospital where he will be completely checked again, and then we will wait and see,” said Bochum’s coach, Dieter Hecking.
Referee Martin Petersen stopped the match and took the teams off. They later returned to the pitch but Bochum had to put striker Philipp Hofmann in goal for the remainder of the match as all their substitutes had already been used.
“In our opinion, the game should have been abandoned. We finished the match under protest and will lodge an appeal on Monday,” Bochum’s managing director, Ilja Kaenzig, told Sky Germany.
Both teams had agreed not to attack in the final minutes, resulting in a subdued conclusion as they shared the spoils. The referee confirmed the deal, saying: “That was an agreement between the two teams. You have to ask the teams about that. I have nothing to do with it.”
Bochum are rooted to the bottom of the Bundesliga with no wins and only three points from their 14 games, while Union are 12th with 17.
According to Union spokesperson Christian Arbeit, police later said: “The perpetrator was identified and handed over to the police. A report has already been filed.”
