Contentious goal from Stindl deflates Ingolstadt
Berlin: A highly controversial Lars Stindl goal put inform Borussia Moenchengladbach on the way to a 20 win at relegationthreatened Ingolstadt in the Bundesliga.
Ingolstadt were dominant in the first half with only a series of excellent saves from Swiss international goalkeeper Yann Sommer keeping Moenchengladbach in the game at the Audi Sportpark on Sunday.
The home side’s spirit was broken on the hour with a goal from skipper Stindl which appeared to go in off his hand.
Ingolstadt’s protests were waved away, although replays clearly showed the ball connecting with Stindl’s lower arm.
Ingolstadt struggled to recover and any hopes of a late rally were extinguished with a goal from Andre Hahn in the first minute of secondhalf stoppage time.
Hahn glided the ball past keeper Martin Hansen after being set up by an excellent run from Mahmoud Dahoud.
Moenchengladbach jump four spots up the table to 10th, continuing their excellent recent form where they’ve chalked up four wins from their last five Bundesliga appearances.
“I definitely didn’t touch it purposefully with my hand,” said Stindl of his contentious opener.
“It was a reflex action to bounce the ball off my chest and fortunately for us the ball went into the net.”
Ingolstadt were left sitting in secondlast place and firmly in a relegation battle, but coach Maik Walpurgis said Stindl’s intervention had been pivotal.
“Today we saw just how a small incident can decide a match,” he said.
“I don’t want to start a big debate about the handball and the intention of the goalscorer. I just want to make it clear that in this situation, the decision was wrong.”
Hoffenheim held on to fourth spot after salvaging a 11 draw at Schalke in a tense and attimes spiteful encounter.
Schalke took the lead after just six minutes when Alessandro Schoepf hammered home a low cross from Guido Burgstaller.
The home side withstood wave after wave of Hoffenheim attacks but their resistance broke in the 79th minute when Steven Zuber curled a perfectly weighted ball into the box for Bayern Munichbound Sebastian Rudy to head home. — AFP