Sunday evening saw newly promoted 2. Bundesliga club Erzgebirge Aue take on Bundesliga side FC Ingolstadt 04. The home side went into the game on the back of a victory against Sandhausen, a result that gave them confidence after their opening day defeat. This however was Ingolstadt's first competitive game so they were looking to progress into the next round and get themselves ready for their league opener against Hamburger SV. That was just what they got, as a 0-0 draw led to a 8-7 penalty win.

Slow first half

Despite being the underdogs it was Aue that looked the most comfortable in the opening stages of the game there wasn't much to talk about for fans in the opening twenty minutes, Ingolstadt failed to get going while Aue defended strongly and played long balls forward towards Pascal Köpke.

Ingolstadt were struggling to cause problems for the home side and failed to break them down, the only true effort on goal saw Alfredo Morales head towards goal, sadly for his side Martin Männel caught the ball easily.

After the thirty-five minute mark the home side came close to taking the lead, Cebio Soukou found space on the right and managed to fire the ball into Dimitrij Nazarov, the striker's touch into space saw him try his luck from a tight angle and it almost paid off as Ørjan Nyland was forced into a save at his near post.

The Nazarov chance proved to be the last and one of the only chances of the first half and the first half display would've encouraged the home side going into the break.

Second period begins to liven up

Ingolstadt came out in the second half more determined and started to look more threatning going forward, unfortunately it took till just before the hour mark for them to create a golden chance to take the lead. Moritz Hartmann was picked out inside the area and being unmarked he had a glorious chance to put his side ahead, unfortunately for his side Männel saved the shot from twelve yards out.

Ingolstadt continued to push for an opener and they came close a couple of times, first up was Markus Suttner who pulled his effort from a corner wide of the post. Shortly after Mathew Leckie leapt the highest to win a header at a corner, however he could only direct the ball over.

The home side came close themselves when Nazarov picked up the ball just outside the area and his effort took a slight deflection which directed his shot just wide of Nyland's post.

Shortly after Nazarov's effort Mario Kvesić should've done better with his effort for the hosts, after the young Bosnian charged forward to beat a number of player's he was forced wide and rather than passing he produced a tame effort which rolled wide.

Both sides pushed for a winner as the game came towards the end, however both teams struggled with their final balls and both keepers remained largely untested.

It was a battle for both. | Image credit: imago
It was a battle for both. | Image credit: imago

Aye almost win it but extra-time is required

With ten minutes to go Aue came agonisingly close, not for the first time Tobias Levels brought down Nazarov, this time in a dangerous area on the corner of the area. Kvesić took responsibility for the freekick and his excellent effort looked to be heading into the top corner, however Nyland had other ideas as he managed to tip the ball onto the post. The rebound went to the other side of the goal and Nazarov's acrobatic effort struck the side netting.

Aue were enjoying the most of the attacking play in the late stages and Kvesić continued to find space around the area, just before injury time the young midfielder tried his luck from range and the effort flew wide of Nyland's goal.

Both sides were able to have one more attack each before the final whistle, first up was Ingolstadt who worked the ball across the area and a header into Leckie saw the Australian fail to get the ball out under his feet and was eventually tackled just inside the area. Up the other end Nazarov broke down the left and the forward's cross was dealt with by Ingolstadt to take the game into extra time.

There weren't many chances in the first half of extra time and the only time a team threatened was in the 99th minute when Nicky Adler burst forward for Aue to beat his fullback and his drilled cross saw Nyland claim.

Ingolstadt started the second half of extra time very well and they looked the more likely to grab a winner. Roger tried his luck from range, however it flew comfortably wide, despite that it was an early warning sign for Aue. Next up was Pascal Groß, a deflected shot found its way to Groß and his volley was on target, disappointingly for the Ingolstadt man the effort was well blocked.

Männel was increasingly coming under pressure, fortunately for the hosts their number one was on fine form and stayed alert throughout. An early cross from the left was finding its way to a free Lukas Hinterseer, despite that Männel was very quick off his line to claim to deny the Austrian striker a golden chance.

Kvesić came agonisingly close with a freekick in the second half and he did so once again in the second half of extra time, the last effort struck the woodwork this time around his effort went just over the bar.

Penalties crush Aue's dream

That was the last chance of the game and after 120 minutes the game had to be settled by a penalty shootout.  Up first was the home side:

  1. Rizzuto (AUE) - Scored - Cohen (FCI) - Scored
  2. Köpke (AUE) - Scored - Suttner (FCI) - Scored
  3. Kvesić (AUE) - Scored - Leckie (FCI) - Scored
  4. Pepic (AUE) - Scored - Groß (FCI) - Scored
  5. Nazarov (AUE) - Scored - Hinterseer (FCI) - Scored
  6. Breitkreuz (AUE) - Scored - Matip (FCI) - Scored
  7. Hertner (AUE) - Scored - Roger (FCI) - Scored
  8. Adler (AUE) - Missed - Levels (FCI) - Scored

The Bundesliga side won the shootout 7:8 and it was some hard luck for Aue who performed excellently and probably deserved to go through. The shootout was filled with high quality penalties and Ingolstadt head into the next round.  

VAVEL Logo
About the author