1st Bundesliga goal by Hübers
Bitter end in the cup, little consolation in the Bundesliga – a poor week with three games without a win has thrown 1. FC Köln off the road to success. Four days after losing the penalty-drama against the second division team Hamburger SV and a week after the clear defeat at home against FC Bayern (0:4), the team of coach Steffen Baumgart had to be content with a happy 2:2 at VfL Bochum.
Although the team remained undefeated in their fifth away game in a row, they missed a closer approach despite a 2-1 lead at half-time thanks to goals from Timo Hübers (36th), who scored his first Bundesliga goal, and Anthony Modeste (45th). to the European Cup places. In front of 750 spectators in the Vonovia Ruhrstadion, Bochum’s goalscorers Gerit Holtmann (25′) and Takuma Asano (70′) ensured the promoted team’s deserved draw.
As a consequence of the poor performance against HSV, Cologne coach Baumgart had radically restructured his team and called six new professionals into the starting XI. However, FC didn’t seem really solid after this measure at first. Because Bochum, who started the game with tailwind after the round of 16 success in the cup over Mainz in contrast to the guests, were close to 1-0 early on. But the shot from Milos Pantovic (6th), who has recently gained a reputation as an art shooter after various goals worth seeing, was blocked by the FC defense in dire need. VfL remained the more active team in the minutes that followed. After a counterattack by the fast Holtmann (17th), Marvin Schwäbe, who Baumgart named number 1 a few days ago, prevented Bochum from taking the lead with a foot defense.
Only after around 20 largely passive minutes did Cologne also intensify their offensive game, but missed their first good opportunity through Modeste (23rd). That wasn’t a wake-up call for the team, just two minutes later FC were 1-0 down. Holtmann skilfully completed a counterattack via Bochum’s new signing Jürgen Locadia with a shot through the legs of keeper Schwäbe. FC only escaped another Bochum goal with a lot of luck when Schwäbe parried an attempt by Locadia (34th) from close range.
A goal out of nowhere brought the Baumgart team back into play. After a corner from Florian Kainz and brief confusion in the previously solid VfL defence, Hübers was there from ten meters and ensured the Cologne team’s happy equaliser. But that’s not all: just before half-time, Modeste turned the game upside down. After a pass from Kainz, the FC goalscorer gave Bochum keeper Manuel Riemann no chance with a sensitive lob.
Modeste scores more: 1. FC Köln’s record goalscorers in the Bundesliga
Even after the restart, Bochum kept the pressure on and pushed for the equaliser. But Eduard Löwen (53rd) missed the great opportunity to ensure a fairer score up to that point. After a pass from Pantovic, the free-standing midfielder shot the ball over the goal from around ten meters. The Cologne team primarily limited themselves to their defensive work – and this passivity was punished. Substitute Takuma defeated FC keeper Schwäbe with a low shot into the far corner.
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