Neither Kaiserslautern or Eintracht Braunschweig could find a winning goal under the Friday night floodlights at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion.
The first half brought fierce tackles, stoppages in the play and half chances. Neither of the two sides could do what they needed to do to get the break through. Many shots were blocked while the midfield battle was eating up time on the clock.
It was in fact the visitors who got the game's first opportunity. After Stipe Vucur conceded a corner, Saulo Decarli headed the loose ball back across from the corner to Adam Matuschyk, who rifled his half volley goalwards, but Marius Müller was well positioned and beat the ball away.
Kaiserslautern struggle to get going
Braunschweig carried on their ascendancy on the sleepy Kaiserlsautern, who failed to get a foothold of the game in the early minutes Matuschyk turned provider following his chance minutes before, his cross was met by Ken Reichel but couldn’t quite direct it goalwards.
After the visitors got their run of possession, Kaiserslautern took their opportunity to knock the Lions back towards their own box. Kacper Przybylko forced Rafal Gikiewicz into a marvellous save with his out-stretched right foot. After Daniel Halfar’s cross was deflected by Mateusz Klich to divert into the Pole's path.
Chances continue to fall to both sides
Braunschweig came back with an attack of their own, Salim Khelifi saw a bit of space which he exploited on the inside, shifted the ball onto his right foot and looked for the bottom corner but Müller did brilliantly to save the chance.
A rather bizarre moment came in the 26th minute, Halfar took a free kick 40 yards away from the Braunschweig goal and it had enough loft to nearly creep in the top corner of the visitors' goal. However, taking no chances, Gikiewicz tipped the ball over his bar, preventing an embarrassing moment for the Pole. From the resulting corner, Ruben Jenssen’s header was straight down the neck of the ‘keeper, who took the easy save with great pleasure.
Two chances came for a matter of minutes for Torsten Lieberknecht’s side, Matuschyk first scuffed his effort following a quick free kick, then Jan Hochscheidt tried a curling effort into the top corner which came to no avail - he didn’t quite catch the ball sweetly and his effort went into the Fritz-Walter-Stadion crowd.
Half time was on the horizon and both teams were on the attack for that all important goal going into the break. Halfar received an awkward pass which he controlled and spun on, volleying first time. What looked to be an easy save for Gikiewicz wasn’t - the stopper fumbled the strike, which bounced awkwardly before him, but he made no mistake pouncing upon the loose ball.
First half ends all square
On the stroke of half time, Klich delivered a tasty cross which was met by centre back Vucur. His header look destined for the bottom corner but Gickiewicz got a fingertip to the effort and prevented the hosts going in one up at the break. Felix Brych brought a close to the first 45, much to the frustration of the home fans - as they’d desperately pushed for an opener but couldn't quite find it.
Kaiserslautern started the second half as they finished the first. They pressurised the Braunschweig defence but lacked the clinical edge. Two chances in three minutes fell to Markus Karl and Przybylko respectively.
The Pole turned provider for the first chance, his pass to Karl opened up for the midfielder and he elected to for the near post rather than across the goalkeeper, a decision which he came to regret as he missed a great opportunity to put his side in the lead. Moments later, the 22-year-old forward failed to make his chance pay - he couldn’t quite wrap his foot around the ball and his effort was easily gobbled up by the goalkeeper.
Second half fails to spark
On the hour mark, Braunschweig came back. A moment of brilliance from Phil Ofosu-Ayeh, where he brilliantly scooped turned his way into space, firing in to Hochscheidt but he failed to divert it home. He got too far under the ball and ballooned his effort high and wide from six yards out.
Ten minutes from time, the Kaiserslautern front-line had their fans on their feet. Karl put Halfar – who beat the offside trap – to go through on goal, he saw Gikiewicz off his line and tried an audacious trip which came off but the 27-year-old German couldn’t quite find the net and saw his cheeky attempt bobble wide. A point was a fair result in the end, and one which both sides will be happy with.