The first leg of the 2. Bundesliga relegation playoffs was a one-sided affair as Nürnberg were dominant in all facets of the game and took a 2-0 advantage. However, a two-goal cushion seemed modest and allowed Ingolstadt a little bit of hope for the return leg at the AudiSport Park. It was now or never, 90 minutes to secure the last place in the 2. Bundesliga.
This tactical analysis dives into the tactics of this second leg, how Ingolstadt was able to win the match but fail at the last hurdle.
Lineups
Michael Wiesingers first game in charge of Der Club was imposing and he didnt want to upset the balance of the team. There was just the one change from the side which saw Lukas Mühl replace Arsenal on-loan defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Tomas Oral was critical of his sides first leg performance and swung the axe at the selection table. There were three changes for Ingolstadt with Michael Heinloth and Filip Bilbija coming in for the injured Maximilian Beister and Fatih Kaya. This forced a reshuffle with Björn Paulsen moving into midfield. The biggest in was club captain Stefan Kutschke, perhaps not a 100%, but someone who has been vital for Die Schanzer this season. Dennis Eckert Ayensa made way.
