On December 16, 2024, FC Ingolstadt 04 achieved a stunning victory against SV Wehen Wiesbaden, securing their place as strong contenders for promotion within the third division of German football. The match concluded with a decisive score of 5-2, leaving Ingolstadt fans celebrating their team’s outstanding performance.
The game kicked off at the BRITA-Arena, where the home team, Wiesbaden, had aspirations of climbing closer to the top of the league table. But things did not start as planned for the hosts. A promising opportunity arose for Wiesbaden’s Fatih Kaya just two minutes after the whistle. He squandered his chance, which set the tone for what would eventually result in disappointment for the team.
It didn’t take long for Ingolstadt to take control of the match. Their first goal came at the 25-minute mark, after Benjamin Kanurić capitalized on a defensive blunder. An ill-placed header from Mockenhaupt fell directly at Kanurić’s feet, allowing him to score from close range. Just seven minutes later, Deniz Zeitler doubled the lead to 2-0, converting another slick move with assistance from Kanurić, who distributed the ball swiftly after winning possession.
Wiesbaden struggled to create significant offensive plays, heading to halftime down 0-2. Coach Nils Döring was left contemplating his team’s lack of precision, which had plagued their earlier matches.
Returning for the second half, Ingolstadt wasted no time asserting their dominance. Just 13 minutes after the restart, Zeitler struck again, bringing the score to 3-0. But Wiesbaden wasn’t ready to concede defeat just yet. Within seconds, Kaya salvaged some hope for the home side with his first goal of the match, narrowing the score to 1-3.
Regrettably for Wiesbaden, their spirits were quickly dampened as Ingolstadt struck back with even more vigor. At the 74th minute, Sebastian Grønning took advantage of another defensive mistake, scoring to widen the gap to 4-1. Shortly after, Grønning scored again, this time from the penalty spot, after Zeitler was fouled within the box, making it 5-1.
Despite having another goal from Kaya at the 79th minute to round off the scoring, the match was largely dictated by Ingolstadt’s relentless pursuit of victory. The final moments saw both teams preserve their stamina as the match wound down with the score resting at 5-2.
This match embodied not just the skill of the Ingolstadt players but also their unity and teamwork. “We have really shown today what we are capable of,” Kanurić reflected post-match. “The two goals we conceded were avoidable. But after scoring five away from home, you can call it deserved.”
Timezone differences aside, Zeitler stated, “Today we delivered excellent team performance offensively and defensively. It was great to see how we bounced back, especially when Wiesbaden tried to push back. I hope our winning momentum carries over to our next fixture against Cottbus.”
Wiesbaden’s coach Döring and his team are left searching for solutions after another disappointing outing replenished by preferring to play strong opposition. Speaking to reporters, he acknowledged, “It’s been tough to find our groove lately, but we must rebound from this to stay competitive.”
This matchup had significant ramifications for both teams. With Ingolstadt constructing their path forward, they remain firmly entrenched among the promotion candidates, reaching for the next level, unlike Wiesbaden, currently struggling as they face diminishing returns. The home fans were left wondering about the next steps for their team as the prospect of promotion slips away.
Wiesbaden will have to regroup quickly as their next challenge looms on the horizon. While Ingolstadt savors this triumph, they aim to string together victories to climb the league table as they gear up for upcoming matches. Each team has made their intentions clear: the race for promotion is fierce, and every game counts.
