VVV Venlo vs Bochum II

Zandbergen's 31st-minute finish was the decisive moment. Having conceded early and dominated possession without reward, VVV's quickfire double — two goals in three minutes — flipped the match entirely. Bochum had no response before the break, and VVV took a deserved lead into half-time.

Dijkhuizen made 11 substitutions at half-time, replacing the entire starting XI. The second-half side featured a mix of senior players — Philip Heise, Gabin Blancquart, Luuk Verheij — and youth prospects, with Michael Davis, Jari Horsten and Devy Hendrikx among those given minutes.

The second half was a more even contest. Bochum pushed for an equaliser and thought they had found it around the 70th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside. VVV created a few half-chances through individual efforts in the closing stages but could not add a third. They held firm defensively to see out the 2-1 win.

• Alex Schalk (VVV Venlo) — the experienced forward scored the crucial equaliser, snapping up a loose ball in the box to bring VVV level. His movement and awareness were key to unlocking the Bochum defence.
• Dean Zandbergen (VVV Venlo) — the striker's composed one-on-one finish was the match-winner. His run off the shoulder and calm execution under pressure stood out.
• Edhy Zuliani (VVV Venlo) — provided the cross that led to Schalk's goal and was a constant threat down the flank in the first half.

Player of the match: Dean Zandbergen — his decisive finish and intelligent movement made the difference in a tight first half.

The provider data shows VVV created multiple early chances before Bochum's opener, reflecting the one-sided nature of the opening exchanges. The 2-1 half-time scoreline accurately reflected VVV's territorial dominance, with both their goals arriving from sustained pressure in a three-minute spell. The second half saw fewer clear-cut chances as wholesale substitutions disrupted rhythm on both sides. Bochum's disallowed goal for offside around the 70th minute was their best chance of a comeback.

VVV Venlo have won both of their pre-season friendlies so far, following up a 3-2 victory over Borussia M'gladbach II on 4 July with this result. The Keuken Kampioen Divisie side are building momentum under Dijkhuizen ahead of the 2026/27 season. Their next friendly is scheduled for 11 July against KAS Eupen at home.

For Bochum II, this was a competitive workout against a higher-tier opponent. The Regionalliga West side will aim to sharpen their finishing and defensive organisation in their remaining pre-season fixtures.

A controlled pre-season win for VVV Venlo, who showed character to recover from an early deficit and clinical finishing to turn the game inside three minutes. The wholesale half-time changes limited the second-half flow, but the first XI did enough to justify the victory. Bochum II were competitive in spells but lacked the sharpness to trouble VVV after the break.