Ten-man Gladbach held by Ingolstadt
Borussia Mönchengladbach dropped their first league points under Andre Schubert in a goalless draw draw against FC Ingolstadt.
Gladbach 0-0 Ingolstadt
The hosts went into the game on the back of a six-game winning run in the league, but were fortunate not to fall behind inside the first 15 minutes at BORUSSIA-PARK. Moritz Hartmann tested Yann Sommer with a prodded effort, before Marvin Matip headed wide of the right-hand post with the Swiss international custodian rooted to the spot.The visitors almost paid dearly for their profligacy, though, when Ramazan Özcan’s clearance fell straight to Raffael on the edge of the area, but the Brazilian’s goal-bound effort was cleared off the goal-line by the retreating Matip.
Schubert’s side continued to improve after the restart and went within a whisker of breaking the deadlock when Lars Stindl’s flicked header from Ibrahima Traore’s free-kick flew inches past Özcan’s left-hand post. Matip again had to come to his side’s rescue moments later, the visitors’ captain heading Fabian Johnson’s scuffed effort off the line with Özcan beaten. Ingolstadt were content to threaten on the counter-attack, however, and Alfredo Morales forced Sommer into an instinctive stop with a fierce shot just after the hour-mark. Foals’ skipper Granit Xhaka was dismissed late on for a second bookable offence, before a stunning Özcan save from Thorgan Hazard in stoppage time allowed the visitors to hold on for a well-deserved share of the spoils.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Matip was a rock at the heart of die Schanzer’s defence at BORUSSIA-PARK. A commanding presence throughout, the Cameroonian made two crucial clearances from Raffael and Johnson to earn his side a valuable point.
TALKING POINT
On this evidence, it is easy to see why Ingolstadt have proved so difficult to beat on their travels this season. This was no backs-to-the-wall job for Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side, who created plenty of opportunities of their own against the Foals and may be disappointed not to have won the match.
MATCH STATS
- Nine of Ingolstadt’s 12 league games to date have been goalless at half time.Drmic made his first league appearance under Andre Schubert on Matchday 12.Nico Elvedi, meanwhile, made his Bundesliga debut at BORUSSIA-PARK on Saturday.
LINE-UPS
Gladbach: Sommer - Nordteil, Christensen, Dominguez, Wendt - Dahoud (Drmic, 51’), Xhaka (c.) - Traore (Hazard, 78’), Johnson - Stindl, Raffael (Elvedi, 88’)
Ingolstadt: Özcan - Levels, M. Matip (c.), Hübner, Suttner - Groß (Engel, 67’), Bregerie, Morales - Hartmann (Christiansen, 90’), Hinterseer (da Costa, 77’), Leckie
