Heroics from Andreas Luthe weren't enough to stop a fantastic performance from Mortiz Hartmann and his Ingolstadt team-mates. He was thwarted multiple times by the Bochum 'keeper, but did score the only goal of the first period. The hosts were never really troubled in the game, though they had to wait until Lukas Hitnerseer's second-half strike to heap further misery on Luthe and co. There was still for Mathew Leckie to grab a late goal and add the gloss on a superb performance.
The hosts tasted defeat for the very first time in the 2.Bundesliga 2014-15 season, going down to 2-1 to Bavarian rivals FC Nürnberg at the Frankenstadion. Ralph Hasenhüttl made two changes from that side, as Alfredo Morales and Andre Mijatovic were replaced by Robert Bauer and Benjamin Hübner, respectively.
Bochum, buoyed by their 4-0 win over VfR Aalen last weekend, were keen to kick on from their first win in eight matches, though they couldn't count on Michael Gregortisch for this game. The on-loan Hoffenheim winger picked up an ankle injury in the Aalen game and was replaced by Marco Terrazzino.
The match got off to a lightning quick start, with both goalkeepers being called into action within the opening ten minutes. Andreas Luthe, twice, brilliantly denied Moritz Hartmann. The Ingolstadt forward was put through twice from wide positions, though Luthe spread himself to halt him in both of the the one-on-one situations.
Ramazan Özcan pulled off an, arguably, even better stop. Stanislav Sestak's header was powered towards the bottom corner, but the Austrian custodian somehow managed to claw the ball away from goal. Bochum may have felt hard done by, as there was great debate as to whether the ball had crossed the line or not, though Norbert Grudzinski and his fellow officials were adamant that Özcan had managed to keep the header out.
Luthe could only do so much, as Hartmann got his goal at the third time of asking. It was a wonderfully worked move that sent the hosts into the lead, as Pascal Groß dropped deep to collect the ball and put a pin-point pass into Mathew Leckie's feet. The Australian instinctively back-heeled the ball into Hartmann's path, before he finished fantastically to Luthe's right. The Bochum captain had little or no hope with the shot, but he would have been disappointed with the poor marking and pressing from his team-mates.
Hartmann almost had a second, although he was denied by the bar three times in a matter of seconds. The forward beat Luthe to the ball, as his first header hit the bar; the ball hung in the air, before dropping onto the bar again. Hartmann, in a state of disbelief, picked himself up and headed against the woodwork for a third time. No-one in the ground could quite believe what had just happened. Ingolstadt failed to add a second goal to go with their stellar first-half performance, with Bochum struggling to cope with the home side's front-line.
The second-half carried on from where the first left off, as Luthe was called upon to make a stellar stop from Hartmann's strong header and then a blistering shot. A combination of the Bochum stopper and the bar yet again denied Ingolstadt, this time it was off of Anthony Losilla's head. Thankfully for the Frenchman, the ball was eventually hacked clear of danger.
Luthe again made a wonderful save from Robert Bauer, but Ingolstadt struck a killer blow from the resulting corner. The ball wasn't fully cleared and after a few bobbles, it sat up perfectly for Lukas Hinterseer to smash home and kill off the game. A simple finish for someone of his quality, especially from just ten yards out, although questions will be asked of Bochum's inability to defend set-pieces once more.
Groß was denied by another superb save from Luthe, but the performance was all in vain as Ingolstadt ran out 3-0 winners. Leckie's late strike, a cool and calm finish in a one-on-one, was another fantastic move. Bochum failed to get going after their strong start, as Luthe's superman-like performance was the only positive for Peter Neururer's men.
The win, along with second-placed Fortuna Düsseldorf's loss to Aalen, meant that they moved five points clear of the chasing pack. Bochum remained in tenth, following Fürth's nil-nil bore draw with Heidenheim, although they will be hopeful of picking up points against lowly St.Pauli. Ingolstadt face a much more stern test in the form of a trip to promotion chasing RB Leipzig.