Teams | November 6, 2012 at 03:21 PM
No goals against Ingolstadt
No goals against Ingolstadt
Herthaner had to settle for a goalless draw at home to FC Ingolstadt.
Hertha could only draw 0-0 at home to FC Ingolstadt in their Bundesliga 2 matchday 12 clash, in front of 33,156 at the Olympic stadium in Berlin on Friday evening (02.11.12). Following Hertha's good second half performance at table-toppers Braunschweig last time out, Berlin boss Jos Luhukay fielded a 4-4-2 side with Sandro Wagner joining Adrian Ramos up front. Regular skipper Peter Niemeyer was suspended after picking up a fifth booking last weekend. Ronny reverted to defensive midfield alongside captain for the day Peer Kluge in front of the back four. The visitors had a familiar face in their starting line-up: Former Hertha captain Andre Mijatovic.
Ingolstädt's defence was called into action early on as Ronny let fly with a low shot from the left edge of the penalty which missed the far post by a metre (2.). Shortly afterwards Ronny was involved again as he played a corner to the near post, but Wagner was surprised to find the ball at his feet and the visitors cleared the danger (4.). It was then the turn of Ingolstadt keeper Ramazan Özcan to show what he was capable of. First the Austrian superbly saved an indirect free kick taken by Ronny (12.), before moments later easily collecting a Ramos header following a corner from the right.
Visitors hit the bar
The first Ingolstadt shot flew well wide from 30 metres as Alper Uludag tried his luck from distance (17.). After a lull in the action the game picked up again. Nico Schulz found Ramos with a crossfield ball and the Columbian cleverly headed the ball into the path of Wagner who was just offside (27.). The visitors cast off their early caution and began to get forward themselves. Caiuby lobbed Hertha keeper Thomas Kraft from the edge of the box but the ball hit the crossbar on its way down (31.). Just a minute later Caiuby fed Uludag in midfield. His stinging effort was well saved by Kraft. Wagner got a wayward shot away moments before the halftime whistle was blown but the ball failed to threaten the Ingolstadt goal. The game was goalless at the break.
The second half began with a chance for the home side, after Ronny played a sweet pass to Nico Schulz with the outside of his boot. The youngster while inside the Ingolstadt box chipped the-advancing keeper but the ball also cleared the bar (49.). Five minutes later at the other end Pascal Groß produced a defence-splitting pass to Christian Eigler, whose shot was well saved by Kraft (54.). Hertha contined to press forward. Ronny's 63rd minute free kick lacked accuracy, while Wagner's deflected shot from an acute angle was parried by Özcan (65.). A long distance pot my Marcel Ndjeng from over 30 metres failed to force Özkan into a save (73.).
Allagui offside
Luhukay introduced Hany Mukhtar and Sami Allagui for Schulz and Wagner in an effort to breathe new life into his front line and the ploy almost paid dividends right away. A long ball found Allagui only five metres out in front of goal, but an excellent reflex save by Özkan denied the Hertha youngster (75.). The visitors were content to sit back and soak up the pressure while hoping for a chance to hit Hertha on the break. Allagui "scored" ten minutes from time but he was rightly given offside.
The game ended in a goalless draw, which extended Hertha's unbeaten run to nine games, while Ingolstadt held onto the fine unbeaten away run. In a game which kicked off at the same time, division two leaders Eintracht Braunschweig beat SV Sandhausen 2-1 at home to extend their lead over second placed Hertha to seven points. Hertha's next game is next Friday away to Sandhausen (09.11.12, 18.00 CET).
Ingolstädt's defence was called into action early on as Ronny let fly with a low shot from the left edge of the penalty which missed the far post by a metre (2.). Shortly afterwards Ronny was involved again as he played a corner to the near post, but Wagner was surprised to find the ball at his feet and the visitors cleared the danger (4.). It was then the turn of Ingolstadt keeper Ramazan Özcan to show what he was capable of. First the Austrian superbly saved an indirect free kick taken by Ronny (12.), before moments later easily collecting a Ramos header following a corner from the right.
Visitors hit the bar
The first Ingolstadt shot flew well wide from 30 metres as Alper Uludag tried his luck from distance (17.). After a lull in the action the game picked up again. Nico Schulz found Ramos with a crossfield ball and the Columbian cleverly headed the ball into the path of Wagner who was just offside (27.). The visitors cast off their early caution and began to get forward themselves. Caiuby lobbed Hertha keeper Thomas Kraft from the edge of the box but the ball hit the crossbar on its way down (31.). Just a minute later Caiuby fed Uludag in midfield. His stinging effort was well saved by Kraft. Wagner got a wayward shot away moments before the halftime whistle was blown but the ball failed to threaten the Ingolstadt goal. The game was goalless at the break.
The second half began with a chance for the home side, after Ronny played a sweet pass to Nico Schulz with the outside of his boot. The youngster while inside the Ingolstadt box chipped the-advancing keeper but the ball also cleared the bar (49.). Five minutes later at the other end Pascal Groß produced a defence-splitting pass to Christian Eigler, whose shot was well saved by Kraft (54.). Hertha contined to press forward. Ronny's 63rd minute free kick lacked accuracy, while Wagner's deflected shot from an acute angle was parried by Özcan (65.). A long distance pot my Marcel Ndjeng from over 30 metres failed to force Özkan into a save (73.).
Allagui offside
Luhukay introduced Hany Mukhtar and Sami Allagui for Schulz and Wagner in an effort to breathe new life into his front line and the ploy almost paid dividends right away. A long ball found Allagui only five metres out in front of goal, but an excellent reflex save by Özkan denied the Hertha youngster (75.). The visitors were content to sit back and soak up the pressure while hoping for a chance to hit Hertha on the break. Allagui "scored" ten minutes from time but he was rightly given offside.
The game ended in a goalless draw, which extended Hertha's unbeaten run to nine games, while Ingolstadt held onto the fine unbeaten away run. In a game which kicked off at the same time, division two leaders Eintracht Braunschweig beat SV Sandhausen 2-1 at home to extend their lead over second placed Hertha to seven points. Hertha's next game is next Friday away to Sandhausen (09.11.12, 18.00 CET).