In the Bundesliga, 1. FC Köln were held to a goalless draw against ten defiant and disciplined defenders from VfB Stuttgart.
On Sunday (28.08.2022) VfB had to act outnumbered at 0-0 from the 56th minute of the game and earned a well-deserved point in Cologne. Luca Pfeiffer, who was in the starting line-up for striker Sasa Kalajdzic, who was apparently willing to emigrate, had to go down with a straight red after a rude foul on Timo Hübers. Also VfB coach Pellegrino Matarazzo saw yellow-red because of complaining (72nd minute).
Sorry Pfeiffer for gross foul
Pfeiffer later commented on the red card against him: “I’m very sorry. It wasn’t on purpose. I’m glad that nothing happened to Timo Hübers. I’m late and I’m trying to withdraw, but I couldn’t prevent it.” He also thanked his team afterwards “passionately defended” to have.
Coach Matarazzo also had to “complimenting the team, as they countered after being sent off” and even continued to create chances.
FC coach Steffen Baumgart said: “Stuttgart was better over the 90 minutes and we didn’t have the chances in the second half that would have enabled us to get a better result. I’m so happy with the effort and the performance.”
Early VfB chances and Cologne injuries
The Stuttgart team seemed much fresher from the start and had three decent chances in the first five minutes through Wataru Endo after 22 seconds, Silas (4th) and Konstantinos Mavropanos (5th).
The Cologne team also had to put up with two injuries early on. Mathias Olesen had to leave the field after 17 minutes, Jeff Chabot played on until the 52nd minute, despite an injury sustained after just four minutes with a head bandage that was taped over and over again. Another injury on his left foot finally stopped him.
Dismissal hardly changes game conditions
Cologne’s savior before the break was goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe, who made excellent saves twice against Silas (22’/38′). FC also had two huge chances to take the lead, but captain Jonas Hector went wide of the ball from ten meters in front of the goal, completely unmarked, after Ondrej Duda had laid a free kick (37′). And the “turban header” by Chabot beat Mavropanos from the line (45 + 2).
The second half began with the next chances for Silas – and the next saves by Schwäbe (48./49). Then Pfeiffer was rightly red. However, the chaotic game didn’t change that much as a result, because VfB held up well when outnumbered and the tired Cologne team didn’t do enough when outnumbered.
Cologne’s Jan Thielmann almost scored the winning goal in injury time, but VfB keeper Florian Müller made a brilliant save (90+4).
Cologne in Wolfsburg, Stuttgart receives S04
1. FC Köln travel to VfL Wolfsburg on the fifth matchday (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.). At the same time, VfB Stuttgart welcomes FC Schalke 04.