FC Ingolstadt 04 and Bayer Leverkusen met at the Audi Sportpark for both sides last game before the Winter break - the first ever clash between the two teams. Die Werkself earnt a hard fought three points, courtesy of a second half Javier Hernandez strike.
In a largely uneventful first half, die Schanzer had the better of proceedings. Pascal Groß and Marvin Matip had efforts saved by Bernd Leno, who incidentally was making his 150th Bundesliga appearance. But die Werkself came out riled for the second period and exerted some serius pressure of the stable Schanzer defence - the second best in the league to date. The pressure was rewarded little over fifteen minutes from the end as Hernandez swept the ball home for his seventeenth in the black and red of Leverkusen.
FC Ingolstadt 04 will have to be content with twenty points during the winter break, and either an eleventh or twelfth place depending on SV Darmstadt 98's result against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Meanwhile die Werkself will occupy a European position and sit on twenty seven points before a game against Hoffenheim to open 2016.
Ingolstadt dominate largely mundane first half
Ralph Hasenhüttl's charges started the game in inspired form; the home side employed Roger Schmidt's own tactic against his die Werkself side and were pressing the Leverkusen defence at every given opportunity, leading to some early sites of goal for the Ingolstadt attack. The captain, Marvin Matip, was the first recipient and was unlucky to see his volleyed effort zip slightly past Bernd Leno's upright.
The chance to present the Audi Sportpark faithful with some Christmas cheer heading into the festivities, seemingly an attractive proposition for die Schanzer in a helter skelter opening in mid Bavaria.
Danny da Costa was featuring against his former side, Bayer Leverkusen. The Ingolstadt defender had joined the BayArena side aged eight before leaving for the Audi Sportpark in 2012. die Schanzer also had Danilo Soares playing - the Brazilian making his first Bundesliga appearance after being injured late in the 2. Bundesliga season.
A mix up between Romain Brégerie and Orjan Nyland however nearly set this good work to an end. The Frenchman, Brégerie, left the ball for his Norwegian goalkeeper allowing Karim Bellarabi momentarily a sight on goal. Fortunately for Ingolstadt, Nyland was at hand to deny both the first effort and the eventual rebound before Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez could mop up and open the scoring.
Incidentally, Nyland's time with die Schanzer to this date has been largely frustrating - a DFB Pokal defeat to SpVgg Unterhaching and a 4-0 drubbing from Borussia Dortmund the only appearances to his name, after playing second fiddle to Ramazan Özcan for the most part. Infact, the man signed from Molde SK only featured against die Werkself due to Ralph Hasenhüttl's promise of another start before the years end.
Pascal Groß then had a good effort for die Schanzer, but the midfield maestro deployed in a more further false nine position by Hasenhüttl saw his volley parried away by Leno. Alfredo Morales had gifted Groß with some superb build up prior.
Despite the lively opening, the game descended into being played in the twenty yards either side of the half way line. The only thing either side had to show in this spell as the half approached - a scuffed Stefan Lex effort that was no trouble for the Werkself 'keeper. Only two of die Schanzer's eleven goals to date have come in the first - but the more worrying fact for Ralph Hasenhüttl is indeed the sheer lack of goals. An issue that will surely be addressed in January; 1. FC Nürnberg's Guido Burgstaller linked with a move to the Audi Sportpark.
Hernandez hits home for Leverkusen
After a presumptuously rousing half time team talk from Roger Schmidt, die Werkself emerged a different beast for the second half. The phrase 'football is a game of two halves' certainly ringing true in Ingolstadt for what followed from the North Rhine Westphalia side.
An opener for the away side looked a mere formality when leading goal scorer, and 'the' inform man in the Bundesliga, Javier Hernandez burst through towards Orjan Nyland after a miss timed Brégerie header. However, the Mexican seemed phased whether to square to Karim Bellerabi or shoot himself and in the end it was clear he had chosen the wrong option as his side did not take the lead.
Hernandez chose to square. His indecisiveness allowed the impervious Marvin Matip to recoverer and turn the ball out for a corner. The supposed destination of the square ball, Bellarabi, has history with his Bayer Leverkusen striker when it comes to assisting each other. The pair came to prominence recently in the crucial Champions League match against FC Barcelona. A win would've saw die Werkself through - but they were unable to find the winner, after the former Eintracht Braunschweig winger Bellarabi has squandered a number of chances, instead of teeing up Hernandez.
FC Ingolstadt 04 nearly compounded Hernandez's woes as Matthew Leckie's cross-cum-shot rattled against the crossbar, courtesy of a Wendell deflection. The Australian had burst down the left flank, before checking back onto his preferred right foot; his effort saw the Brazilian Bayer full back nearly put into his own net and give die Schanzer the lead. But it wasn't to be. Good defending, or fortunate clearance is up for anyone to decide.
Lightning quick counter attacks are a quality associated with Bayer Leverkusen breakneck style of play at its best, and it was from this avenue that they would finally break the deadlock in a game that had largely been mundane.
The aforementioned Bellarabi had won the ball back midway in his own half, before galloping towards the isolated three Ingolstadt defenders. At the correct moment, unlike Hernandez in prior, he found the Mexican and the rest this time was simple - Nyland with little chance as the ball was swept into the top of the net. A remarkable seventeenth goal in fourteen games for Javier Hernandez, following his summer move from Manchester United. Just fifteen minutes for FC Ingolstadt 04 to hit back and deny die Werkself only a second away win in five.
But rather than staging a desperate last ditch attempt at salvaging a point, the goal had sucked the life and confidence out of a clearly deflated die Schanzer side. Matip saw another header saved, but largely the closing stages were of little threat to Roger Schmidt's side and a hard fought three points provided some Christmas cheer for the 1,300 band that had made the way to the historic Bavarian city.