VfL Bochum has continued its upward trend in the Bundesliga thanks to a strong Sebastian Polter.

The center forward was involved with two goals (23./45.+2) in the celebrated 3-2 (3-0) victory at FC Augsburg on Saturday.

Gerrit Holtmann (40.) also scored for VfL in front of a ghostly backdrop in the empty FCA arena and gave the Ruhrpottklub their fifth win in their last seven games.

The subsequent goals by Michael Gregoritsch (57th) and Daniel Caligiuri (86th / penalty kick) came too late.

The FCA slept through the first half.

After their bad start to the season, the Bochumers are becoming more and more in the middle of the table.

Augsburg, on the other hand, missed the break in the league basement and remained on relegation place 16.

The FCA had announced that they wanted to "straighten out" the bitter DFB Cup defeat against VfL.

Cup hero Manuel Riemann was missing in the goal of the guests.

For him, Michael Esser made his Bundesliga debut in the jersey of the guests.

Raphael Framberger moved into the starting line-up for the home side.

Like Andi Zeqiri, he was replaced in the first half.

Nothing to feel from weakness away from home

The goal of the straightforward and determined playing from Bochum was to improve the previously bad away record.

VfL only managed one victory before the Augsburg game.

The newcomer started the game with courage and shortly after kick-off (3rd) had the first big chance through Holtmann.

FCA goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz spread out and parried.

As a result, the guests remained the team that determined the game and combined again and again near the opponent's penalty area.

After a bad pass from Arne Maier, things suddenly happened very quickly: Holtmann sent Polter, who tunnelled Gikiewicz - the lead.

Initially, there was not much from Augsburgers who seemed overwhelmed.

André Hahn gave the top chance to equalize in the 28th minute.

The freestanding captain headed Iago's dimensional flank over the beam.

Despite short FCA bright spots, the Bochum team remained the better team.

Holtmann's placed shot in the corner to 2-0 and Polter's powerful header were the result.

After the break, the home side acted much more alert and Joker Gregoritsch stabbed as he did in the last minute draw against Hertha BSC.

After Caligiuri's corner, the Austrian nodded almost indistinctly in the left corner.

Augsburg was in the game.

Just a few seconds later, Ruben Vargas put perfectly on Jan Moravec, who shot the ball from four meters into the empty stands.

In the final phase, when it was drizzling, a heated exchange of blows developed.

Milos Pantovic missed out on Bochum's side, while Gregoritsch and Sergio Córdova missed great opportunities.

Caligiuri's penalty goal made Bochum tremble again violently - but in the end the strong first half was enough to win.