FC Ingolstadt are back in the promotion race in the 3rd division, while Dresden have reported their first crisis of the season after another defeat.
Before the winter break, it seemed as if the only thing in doubt in the 3rd division was when Jahn Regensburg and Dynamo Dresden would clinch promotion.
Their dominance was too great, their lead too big. But in recent weeks, Dynamo Dresden have been dropping more and more points. The 2:1 (0:2) defeat at FC Ingolstadt on Sunday was their third defeat in the last four games.
In 2024, hardly anything is coming together for Dresden. As a result, Dresden are only five points ahead of SSV Ulm in third place. If Rot-Weiss Essen win their catch-up game at 1860 Munich on Tuesday, they will be just four points ahead of the relegation places.
The current lack of self-confidence was also evident in Ingolstadt, where Dresden were 2-0 down at the break. Jannik Mause made it 1-0 after just six minutes for the hosts, who had to make two changes in the first half.
Among others, attacker Pascal Testroet was injured – he was replaced by winter signing Sebastian Grønning. And he celebrated a dream debut, scoring the 2:0 just five minutes after coming on. And Dresden? They actually played well, had a good spell before going 2-0 down and had a chance to equalize after going 2-0 up.
But the FCI saved the 2-0 lead going into the break. After the changeover, the Dynamos were expected to attack. But there was very little from coach Markus Anfang’s team. Ingolstadt had the better opportunities and did little defensively.
It had to be 3-0 after 78 minutes, but Mause and Grønning missed the big chance. Dresden stayed in the game and actually managed to equalize. Robin Meißner scored eight minutes before the end to make it 1-2 from Dynamo’s point of view. And the FCI almost conceded the 2:2, as it was Dresden’s winter signing Ahmet Arslan who narrowly missed the equalizer in the final minute.
FC Ingolstadt continue their campaign next Sunday (4:30pm) at TSV 1860 Munich. Dresden play at home against VfB Lübeck on Saturday (2 p.m.).
How FC Ingolstadt and Dynamo Dresden played
Ingolstadt: Funk – Costly, Cvjetinovic, Lorenz, Seiffert – Deichmann (30. Keidel), Fröde – Kopacz (85. Dittgen), Mause (85. Kügel), Kanuric (46. Kayo) – Testroet (39. Grønning) – Coach: Köllner
Dresden: Broll – Kammerknecht, Lewald, Kraulich, Meier (46. Arslan) – Will (64. Meißner), Herrmann (81. Wonneberger), Hauptmann – Lemmer (64. Cueto), Kutschke, Zimmerschied (81. Borkowski) – Coach: Anfang
Goals: 1:0 Mause (6′), 2:0 Grønning (45′), 2:1 Meißner (82′)
Referee: Robert Kampka (Mainz)
Spectators: 8,000