Scoreless Draw at Illertissen Gets Bayern Munich II Four Points from Playoff

Needing their main Regionaliga Bayern competitors to drop points, the Bayern Munich reserves wrestled away a 0-0 against FV Illertissen on Saturday. The result, a pseudo three points for the kleine Bayern, moves Bayern II just four points away from the Regionalliga promotion playoff with three matches to play.

"We were not allowed to lose today's match and withstood the pressure well," said manager Erik ten Hag to the club website.

Neither team had a menacing chance in the first half, although Alessandro Schöpf, Angelos Oikonomou, Patrick Weihrauch, and Tobias Schweinsteiger had chances to put the reserves ahead. Illertissen sat deep and tried to catch Bayern II on the counter, although Ralf Husic slapped away the best chance from Thorsten Rinke.

"We missed making a goal, but the zero stands and that is the basis for every success," said ten Hag. "I am satisfied with the performance of my team. It was a good test with regards to the promotion matches that we absolutely want to reach."

Ten Hag has kept his team sheet nearly identical in the past three matches, getting imperative results in the critical stretch of the season. With Mitchell Weiser and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg required for the senior team, his attack has stayed the same, with Schweinsteiger and Friesenbichler playing side-by-side. The only changes have come in his defense, Dennis Chessa taking a turn with Edwin Schwarz with a yellow card suspension.

If Bayern II defeat Memmingen on Friday, they could clinch a playoff spot against the Augsburg reserves the afternoon before the DFB-Pokal Final.