Crucial point at FC Ingolstadt

Berlin - Hertha had to settle for a draw on Friday night (12.04.13), drawing 1-1 away to mid-table FC Ingolstadt. Hertha who were a goal down at the break, equalised through Änis Ben Hatira midway through the second half.

Hertha boss Jos Luhukay was forced to make changes to his starting line-up after skipper Peter Niemeyer and full back Peter Pedarik missed out through injury. As he had hinted before the game the Dutch coach replaced them with Alfredo Morales in front of the back four and Christoph Janker at right back. Luhukay rested Levan Kobiashvili, Nico Schulz and Sami Allagui, which meant that Fabian Holland, Änis Ben-Hatira and Marcel Ndjeng made the team. A familiar face was across the halway line in an Ingolstadt shirt – former hertha skipper Andre Mijatovic.

Hosts convert opening chance

The opening minutes were spent cancelling each other out in midfield, as both sides tried to figure out a way through the opposing back line. On 14 minutes Marvin Matip broke unchallenged down the right wing from where he crossed into the middle. Hertha's Janker was beaten to the ball by Caiuby who easily scored from only seven metres out. The home side then missed a sitter as Ümit Kormaz failed to score from point blank range following another cross from the right (21.).

Ingolstadt attacked the visitors as soon as they had the ball, so Hertha struggled to threaten. Berlin keeper Thomas Kraft punched a floated freekick out of the danger zone in the nick of time as Ramazan Özcan looked likely to score (36.). Shortly before the break Ronny played the ball nicely into the path of Adrian Ramos. Sadly the Columbian failed to connect with the ball properly and fired well wide of target (41.). That was Hertha's only chance of the opening half and they were deservedly a goal down at halftime.

Fresh legs do the trick

Luhukay sent out the same eleven for the second half, and once again the home side had the opening chance. John Anthony Brooks slipped as he was trying to reach a back pass by Holland, allowing Moritz Hartmann to advance on Hertha stopper Kraft alone. Kraft stood his ground though and averted the danger (47.). Ingolstadt continued to create the better chances. On 52 minutes Caiuby curled a shot from inside the area just wide of the top left hand corner. Then Hartmann missed connecting with a square ball from Danny da Costa by the narrowest of margins (55.). Jos Luhukay had sees enough and brought on Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Sami Allagui for Kluge and Janker.

The new duo almost equalised right away. A long high ball from Brooks was knocked into the path of Lasogga by Allagui. Lasogga could only manage to put the ball wide of the right hand post (61.). Hertha's number 19 turned provider shortly afterwards as he nodded a long throw in by Holland to Ben Hatira, who volleyed the ball home at the near post (64.). That goal boosted the visitors. On 67 minutes Ndjeng let fly from distance but aimed too high (67.). Ingolstadt kept things tight at the back and deserved their point after the game ended 1-1.

Sandhausen visit Olympic stadium next

Failing to win postponed Hertha's promotion party for a week. They can clinch promotion next Sunday (21.04.1313.30 CET) as SV Sandhausen visit the Olympic stadium on matchday 30.