1. FC Magdeburg and Arminia Bielefeld failed to find the back of the net in a goalless draw in the Monday night 2. Bundesliga game.

Bielefeld had the better chances of the first half, and if not for an excellent save from Magdeburg goalkeeper Alexander Brunst, Andreas Voglsammer would have had them ahead just after the break.

Christian Beck came closest for the hosts, but their wait for a first win in the 2. Bundesliga continues.

Bielefeld have the better of the first half

Magdeburg made three changes from their defeat two weeks ago to Holstein Kiel. Jasmin Fejzic, Aleksandar Ignjovski and Philip Türpitz were replaced by Brunst, Michael Niemeyer and Felix Lohkemper. After their 5-3 win over SSV Jahn Rengesburg, Bielefeld also made three changes. Jonathan Clauss, Brian Behrendt and Kenau Staude made way for Cédric Brunner, Stephan Salger and Patrick Weihrauch.

There was a raucous atmosphere in the MDCC-Arena, but apart from a dangerous wide shot from Marcel Costly, saved by Stefan Ortega, Bielefeld were the side on top in the early stages. Fabian Klos had a shot blocked and a Jóan Símun Edmundsson effort missed the target, with a first save for Brunst coming from a lifted shot from Voglsammer, though that caused him little concern.

The game began to get a little prickly after that, best summed up by the needle between Voglsammer and Dennis Erdmann throughout the half. Magdeburg had a good chance to score though when Björn Rother struck from outside the box, with Ortega stretching out a hand to put it wide. He would also have to save an effort from Costly later in the half.

There were further opportunities for Bielefeld as well. Salgar headed wide from a corner, whilst Julian Börner put the ball over the bar after meeting a cross from Manuel Prietl, following good work from Klos to get the ball back after being challenged to the ground out on the right. Edmundsson also struck wide before the half was out, after a Florian Hartherz free-kick had been punched into his path by Brunst.

Voglsammer and Beck close but game fizzles out

In the seventh minute of the second half, Bielefeld had their best chance yet of taking the lead. Klos’s header from a Brunner cross into the box was blocked, but the ball fell perfectly for Voglsammer, whose own header was superbly saved by Brunst, who was continuing to justify his selection. The danger wasn’t quite clear, but Prietl put the rebound wide.

Chances were at a premium after the break but Magdeburg had one just as big to finally break the deadlock. A cross from Niemeyer found Beck in the box, who jumped ahead of his marker, but his effort swung millimetres wide of the post.

Both sides could have had penalties, as Niemeyer went down in the box under pressure for Magdeburg, whilst a Bielefeld cross looked to have hit the arm of Erdmann, but neither incident was enough to convince Christof Günsch. The hunt for a goal saw the strikers replaced by both coaches, but it was increasingly looking like it would end as a goalless draw.

That was how it turned out, with Staude failing to make the most of an Edmundsson cross into the box. A final Magdeburg free-kick in stoppage time couldn’t provide the breakthrough either, and both sides had to settle for a point.