Energie Cottbus frustrate Schwarzgelben

As Jürgen Klopp warned die Lausitzer are a complex side and today they fought BVB to a 1-1 draw at Westfalenstadion. Today's results is the eighth draw of the year at home and the loss of points of is adding up as Schwarzgelben missed a perfect chance to move towards a Europa League spot.

Sebastian Kehl returned to his captain duties for the match, returning from a three month injury but Nuri Şahin, Mats Hummels, Dedê and Jakub Błaszczykowski were all out with injury. Otherwise there was now difference in Jürgen Klopp's tactical plans with both sides coming out in a 4-4-2 diamond and a focus on defending. The match started in snowy conditions and there were few serious chances early on as both coaches had their sides ready to cut down any attempt. Just past the half hour Bojan Prašnikar's side took the lead when Ervin Skela's crossing attempt hit the post and fell directly to Çağdaş Atan a few metres out for easy closure. BVB charged back and came close to leveling minutes later with Tamás Hajnal's corner but Neven Subotić missed a link up Nelson Valdez by a fraction. However the match was level with nine minutes remaining in the half when Sebastian Kehl was taken down by Çağdaş Atan in the area and a penalty awarded. Alexander Frei pounded the ball into the low corner and the match was even. Although neither side could score through the break, the deadlock opened up play considerably.

After the break, Lausitzer' tighted down the match and BVB was unable to penetrate for longer stretches. With the visitors on the their heels and only willing to attack on the counter the best chance to break the deadlock came with twenty one minutes remaining. Hungarian international Tamás Hajnal sent a nice lobbing pass to Alexander Frei who then volleyed towards the goal but Coobus 'keeper Gerhard Tremmel pushed wide. Mohamed Zidan was brought in for Nelson Valdez with sixteen minutes remaining and while he did well to create space it is clear with Kuba, the engine going forward isn't the same and the winning goal couldn't be found. In the final minutes of the match Lee Young-Pyo was shown a straight red for a high challenge but the visitors couldn't make use of the man advantage and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.