Effzeh rearing up comes too late
©IMAGO
Eintracht Frankfurt overturned an early deficit at 1. FC Köln and celebrated their first away win in the cathedral city since 2017 in a thrilling game. After a shaky final phase, the eagle bearers prevailed 4:3 (2:1) against the promoted team and moved up to sixth place after their fifth unbeaten Bundesliga game in a row. Cologne also lost their fourth Saturday evening game this season and are currently in ninth place with six points less.
In front of 50,000 spectators in the sold-out Cologne stadium, Jakub Kaminski (4th minute) gave the home team an early lead. But Arthur Theate (39th) and Mahmoud Dahoud (45th + 6) turned the game in favor of the guests. Jonathan Burkardt seemed to have made almost everything clear with a brace (60th and 63rd). Marius Bülter (83rd) and Luca Waldschmidt (90th+4) made it really exciting again.
Cologne coach Lukas Kwasniok changed to four positions after the 1:3 against Gladbach. Saïd El Mala, who was not featured on his debut call-up for the national team but then impressed with the U21 team, also initially sat on the bench. Eintracht coach Dino Toppmöller made two substitutions after the 1-0 win against Mainz and brought on Mario Götze from the start for the first time this Bundesliga season.
Because of the nationwide fan protests against possible new security measures in stadiums, there was initially almost complete silence in the stands. But already in the 4th minute it got loud: Ragnar Ache passed the rushing Michael Zetterer on the left and passed it to Kaminski, who delicately pushed the ball into the empty goal at the top right for his fifth goal of the season. Initially the goal was called back for offside, but it counted after a VAR check.
While the fans returned to the Cologne block after twelve minutes with their usual loud support and lots of pyrotechnics, Frankfurt was looking for a quick answer. But Cologne’s defense was initially secure. Burkardt had the best chance to equalize after half an hour when he headed a cross from Ansgar Knauff towards the goal – but Marvin Schwäbe was there.
A few minutes later it was also a header that equalized: Theate scored after a corner from Farès Chaibi to make it 1-1 – his first Bundesliga goal. For Cologne it was the fifth goal conceded from a corner this season. And Frankfurt went one better: First, Schwäbe brilliantly blocked a shot from Chaibi with his foot, but Dahoud put the follow-up shot into the goal at the half-time whistle to make it 2-1.
Immediately after the restart, Jan Thielmann had a great chance to equalize: The Cologne player moved towards the Frankfurt goal from the right side, but failed too centrally to Zetterer. Shortly afterwards the game was interrupted when rockets flew towards the pitch from the visiting block of Eintracht fans, who were dressed entirely in black. As in the first half, Cologne had less possession of the ball, but were waiting for a counterattack.
Within three minutes, Frankfurt’s Burkardt made things clear: First, after his own preparatory work, he scored at the first post. Shortly later, the striker took advantage of Cologne’s outnumbered team due to Joel Schmied’s treatment break and made it 4-1 with a backheel.
Cologne, who conceded more than three goals for the first time this Bundesliga season, also tried to react with substitutions like El Mala. After a nice combination in the penalty area, Joker Bülter hit the bottom left and really brought fire into Cologne’s game. And that with plenty of added time, in which El Mala first hit the post before Waldschmidt was there with a header.