1. FC Cologne
At first no penalty, then red: Schiri-Zoff at Cologne victory in Mainz
24.08.2025 – 7:51 p.m.Reading time: 3 min.
It was the excitement of the Bundesliga game between the 1st FSV Mainz 05 and 1. FC Köln: Only Mainz did not get a penalty, then Paul saw red next to smooth.
The 1. FC Köln crowned its Bundesliga return with a 1-0 win at the 1st FSV Mainz 05. But the billy goats in Mainz benefited from a controversial scene in the second half. Referee Tobias Stieler took the DAZN microphone afterwards and explained his decision.
What happened? After 59 minutes, the Mainz, which had been superior to date, received a corner kick. As a result, the Mainz Anthony Caci went to the ground in Cologne’s penalty area after a duel with Tom Krauss. The FC defender had slightly touched the Mainz on the leg. But Tobias Stieler’s whistle remained silent, the referee had stood by with a clear view of the scene only five meters next to it.
However, the scene continued immediately: the FC countered only seconds after the supposed foul on Caci. Sebastian Sebulonsen grabbed the ball on his own penalty area and saw Jakub Kaminski started at the center line towards Mainz Tor. The Cologne native took the long pass of his teammate perfectly with him and thus hung up to his opponent Paul Nebel. The Mainz, however, tore around Kaminski from behind – the last man is a clear emergency brake. Stieler showed the 05er the red card.
Afterwards Stieler explained the two scenes on the DAZN microphone: “It took me a moment. If there is a contact, I have to look after the effect. The contact was there, but it was a mini contact. Does it fit the spectacular case? And then there was also a short delay effect,” said Stieler about duel between the craves and Caci. “The two factors have led to my decision: no penalty.”
But Stieler had to pick up speed immediately to assess the Cologne counterattack. “I hurried that I came after. The foul quality was clear. It was also clear that it was an emergency brake. I spoke the red card.” Stieler was certain in the evaluation of both scenes. And yet he already knew that the VAR in the Cologne basement would check the scene in the FC penalty room.
“Then my brain started thinking,” admitted Stieler. “What if it was a foul? What do I say about the public Announcement?” Finally, for the new Bundesliga season, every referee has to explain a decision changed by the VAR intervention on the stadium microphone: “But then the Var quickly came from the confirmation that everything was correct. So it has remained.”
Incomprehensible for the Mainz: Danny da Costa spoke after a “clear penalty”. His trainer, on the other hand, saw it sporty: “I don’t know. The referee has to say that. If he had given penalty, he would also have said: ‘It was 100 percent a penalty.’ That’s football. “
Lukas Kwasniok, on the other hand: “It was not a penalty. On the other hand, it was a clear red card. End, from, amen.” His protégé Tom Krauss saw it the same way: “Caci runs into me, that is not a penalty for me. I don’t even put my leg out. It is good that it went. So the FC was able to use and cheer the majority in the 90th minute with the winning goal by Marius Bülter.