BERLIN (AP) — In a surprising turn of events, the German soccer federation's sports court has awarded Bochum a 2-0 victory over Union Berlin following an incident in which Bochum's goalkeeper, Patrick Drewes, was struck by a firelighter during a Bundesliga match in December. The ruling marks just Bochum's second win of the season.

According to the court's chairman, Stephan Oberholz, the decision was based on the fact that Drewes was injured by an object thrown from the stands, which impacted his ability to play effectively. "The weakening of the Bochum team was caused by a Berlin spectator and is therefore attributable to Union Berlin," Oberholz stated. The controversial match, played on December 14, initially ended in a 1-1 draw, but the outcome has now been challenged.

During the match, Drewes was injured while preparing for a goal kick in added time. The referee, Martin Petersen, suspended the game immediately, leading both teams to leave the pitch for Drewes's medical attention. After a break of almost half an hour, the match resumed with Bochum agreeing not to score in the remaining minutes. Bochum's CEO Ilja Kaenzig had previously protested the decision to restart the match, arguing that it should have been considered abandoned due to the incident.

In response to the ruling, Union Berlin has announced plans to appeal, with club president Dirk Zingler expressing his dissatisfaction. He stated, "The actual unsportsmanlike scandal took place on the pitch and in court today," questioning the fairness of the proceedings and the court's decision to disregard the match's original ending.

Union's spokesman Christian Arbeit echoed these sentiments, emphasizing their belief that the match concluded properly at 1-1, according to the referee's directive. This appeal could not only change the standings but also set a notable precedent concerning similar incidents in the future.

With this victory, Bochum could potentially lift themselves off the bottom of the Bundesliga, while Union remains in the mid-table, currently positioned 12th out of 18 teams. The outcome, alongside the appeal process, continues to stir debate within the German football community about the integrity and accountability of match officiating.

For further updates on this developing story, visit the original articles on AP News and AP News.