Borussia Dortmund's U23s snapped their five-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw against FC Ingolstadt at the Rote Erde stadium. Julian Hettwer put the Black & Yellows ahead in the 41st minute, before the visitors equalised in the second half.

The scenario: While BVB have had a solid season thus far, picking up 45 points, the away team have struggled to follow up on their impressive start to the campaign, with just 17 points gained in the second round of fixtures. This meant the two sides came into the game level on points and placed 10th and 11th in the table respectively. BVB came into the game on the back of a five-game losing streak and thus badly in need of a morale boost. 

Personnel matters: BVB coach Jan Zimmermann was still without the injured Tiago Estevao, Lion Semic and Abdoulaye Kamara. The only changes to the squad from last week's match against Sandhausen were Bjarne Pudel and Justin Butler coming in to replace Mario Suver and Danylo Krevsun.

The match: The first action of the match produced the first chance for the Black & Yellows, but Rondey Elongo Yombo shot just wide of the visitors' goal. Not long after, Antonios Papadopoulos played a long ball forward to Julian Hettwer, who found his route to goal blocked by the Ingolstadt defence. However, the onrushing Ole Pohlmann seized on the loose ball and played it back to Hettwer, who drilled a low cross into the danger area towards Paul Besong. In the end, a last-ditch intervention by Ingolstadt defender Ryan Malone was all that prevented Dortmund from finding themselves 1-0 up on the scoresheet. 

BVB were repeatedly able to carve out opportunities through long balls up the park. In the 17th minute, it was Elongo-Yombo on the left wing who whipped a delivery into the visitor's area. The ball was only half-cleared to Pohlmann, who created space for himself with a sparkle of artistic footwork and fired a shot on goal. However, Ingolstadt keeper Marius Funk reacted quickly to make the save. 

It was now a back-and-forth affair at the Rote Erde. Time and again, the Black & Yellows won the ball in midfield and got the ball forward at pace. However, BVB still lacked precision, especially in the final third. The away side had their first opportunity of the match on the half-hour mark, but the effort flew a metre over Marcel Lotka's goal. Not long afterwards, Ayman Azhil initiated a BVB attack. He passed forward to Franz Roggow, who picked out the run of Hettwer with a through ball, but again an Ingolstadt defender was able to get back and deflect the ball out for a corner. Ole Pohlmann sent in a sharp delivery right in front of goal, but this time Ingolstadt were saved by a strong clearing header from Yannick Mause.

Left-back Guillermo Bueno, after winning the ball in his own half, played a long ball forward to Hettwer in the penalty area. He took the ball down with his chest before rifling a shot into the visitors' goal to give BVB a well-deserved 1-0 lead (41). The 20-year-old winger's last goal came against 1860 Munich on Matchday 17 at the beginning of December. This was his seventh goal of the season.

BVB went into the dressing room at half-time with their noses in front and came out all guns blazing for the second period. Bueno was dangerous once again, playing a one-two with Azhil in the penalty area before having his shot blocked by an Ingolstadt defender. But the visitors also wanted to make an impact in the second half and made two changes at the break, which helped them achieve greater focus and commitment. Time and time again they posed a threat to BVB from set-piece situations. After a corner kick, FCI striker had a chance to shoot and was denied only by the woodwork.

The away side were well and truly in the game, and before long they managed to find their equaliser. It came in the 64th minute, when a long throw-in landed at the feet of former BVB player David Kopacz. He took the ball on the turn and fired past Lotka to level the scores at 1-1.

Both teams sought to gain more control in the final phase, with the visitors much more deliberate in their build-up play than in the first half, always looking to prevent BVB from having opportunities to attack in transition. Nothing could separate the two sides in the end, as the match at the Rote Erde stadium ended in a 1-1 draw.

Outlook: The U23s are next in action on Saturday, when they travel to VfB Lübeck. (14:00 CEST). 

U23s: Lotka – Göbel, Pfanne (75, Eberwein), Papadopoulos, Bueno (86, Aning) – Azhil, Pohlmann, Roggow – Hettwer (75, Butler), Besong (75, Pudel), Elongo-Yombo (64, Michel)  
   
Goals: 1-0 Hettwer (41), 1-1 Kopacz (64)