Scoring goals is not exactly one of Hoffenheim’s Kevin Vogt’s strengths. It has been almost nine years since the defensive man was last able to celebrate his own goal. Will the series end in Cologne, of all places, where he last scored?
It is October 18, 2014. Kevin Vogt is under contract with 1. FC Köln. Something extraordinary happened in the 2-1 win against Borussia Dortmund: Vogt scored a goal. That was almost nine years ago – or 241 games. The now 31-year-old defender hasn’t scored since.
Only Dietmar Schwager has had a longer dry spell than Vogt in the Bundesliga. The man from 1. FC Kaiserslautern remained goalless in 266 games from August 1964 to August 1973.
In the Preparatory games met Kevin Vogt regularly
First and foremost, Vogt is there to prevent goals. As a defensive midfielder or central defender, he rarely finishes. Winning header duels in your own sixteen-yard box, throwing yourself into opponents’ shots, doing everything you can to keep your own goal clean – that’s his job.
TSG coach Pellegrino Matarazzo doesn’t mind that his defenders are also dangerous on offense. “With us you have the freedom to go into the opponent’s box. One of the two central defenders is always allowed to move forward, for free kicks or corners. Basically, Kevin Vogt has the opportunity to score goals from the game,” said Matarazzo the PK before the game in Cologne (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., live in the SWR-1 Stadium).
Despite all the lack of goals, one thing seems to suit Vogt: converting penalties. In preparation for the new season he had a rate of 100 percent. Confident and strong nerves. In the league, however, his colleague Andrej Kramaric is responsible for penalties. Vogt says confidently and with a smile: “I offer myself to Andrej. We have a safe shooter, but if he doesn’t want to shoot, I’m there.”
One goal every 100 games – a rather poor record
Vogt has now played 306 Bundesliga games and scored three goals. Two for FC Augsburg in the 2013 season and the aforementioned goal for Cologne a year later. So far he has come away empty-handed for his current club, TSG Hoffenheim. Kramaric converted the only penalty of the season so far two weeks ago against Heidenheim.
On Saturday, the 1.94 meter tall giant will face 1.FC Cologne with the Kraichgauer team. His former club. Exactly in the stadium where he last scored a Bundesliga goal. Maybe that’s where the long goalless drought ends. And if not, then maybe a week later – on his 32nd birthday against Union Berlin.
