45
21:48
Mid-term conclusion:
Cologne are 2-0 down against Nice at half-time and need three goals in the second half to remain in Europe. The billy goats took matters into their own hands from the start and got into the game really well. The guests from the Côte d’Azur had their hands full defensively, but overall they were very secure and didn’t allow much. However, just when Cologne became increasingly stronger and made regular appearances in the opposing box, a strong attack was enough for the Aiglons to score the controversial lead, with Laborde preparing the ball before the decisive follow-up shot with an upper arm. Because Effzeh was briefly inattentive after this setback, the ice-cold southern French even added the second goal. The mortgage for round two is correspondingly large.
45
21:45
Official stoppage time (minutes): 1
43
21:43
Tooor for OGC Nice, 0:2 by Bilal Brahimi
Now it’s going to be rock solid for the Cologne team, because the Aiglons are now promptly following up against the slightly shocked Domstadt team and increasing to 2:0. After a throw-in, Nice can overturn the billy goats’ defense with two simple passes. Brahimi is then lucky on the edge of the penalty area that his left-footed shot goes right through Schindler’s legs, which is why Schwäbe is caught on the wrong foot with the actually too central shot.
41
21:42
Doubly bitter for the billy goats, who besiege the referee after conceding a goal: the replay shows that Laborde controls the ball on the ground with his upper arm, which is why there is a margin shot in the first place. Because the VAR is missing in the Conference League, the goal remains.
40
21:39
Tooor for OGC Nice, 0:1 by Gaëtan Laborde
Bitter! Nice picks up the pace and promptly takes a 1-0 lead. After attacking from the left, the ball lands on Laborde, who initially only shoots at Hübers with a tackle from eleven meters, but then can claim the ball while lying down, gets up and comes to the follow-up shot. The ball somehow rushes through the Cologne back line. Even Schwäbe can no longer prevent the impact.
36
21:36
Adamyan puts through for Pedersen, but the attentive Todibo is there again and is able to intercept the final pass before it becomes dangerous. Cologne does play the game, but hardly creates any chances against defensively very concentrated and present Aiglons.
33
21:33
Schindler just unpacks the right adhesive. The shot from 22 meters has a lot of power, but flies a good two meters past Schmeichel’s goal to the right. Kick off Nice.
32
21:32
Very little is coming from the French at the moment. Nice has its hands full with defending and always leaves the basic defensive order intact during tentative advances, so that there are no majority situations without the help of the Cologne team. The game takes place mostly in the half of the Aiglons.
29
21:29
The conspicuous Kainz is again unstoppable on the left wing and brings the cross flat into the opposing sixteen, where Todibo can just clear the corner, which then brings nothing further. The Effzeh is on the trigger.
26
21:27
Big chance for Cologne! Nice doesn’t get the ball away and Cologne follows suit. A high ball from Kainz is then happily deflected to Tigges, who takes a head shot to the far corner from five yards on the left. The finish is precise but not overly powerful, allowing Schmeichel to stretch and prevent the impact with a powerful reflex.
26
21:26
Kainz pulls a Cologne corner from the left onto the first post, where Pedersen extends the back of his head. The idea is good, but forwarding towards the second post bypasses friend and foe and ends up in nirvana.
24
21:24
Lemina pulls out a corner against Pedersen. Pépé brings the dead ball up into the box, where Dante finishes with a header. However, his attempt from almost six meters goes over the crossbar.
22
21:22
Kristian Pedersen almost makes a fatal bad pass. His cross pass lands on the completely free Nicolas Pépé, who, despite having enough space outside the penalty area, shoots far too hastily. The weak left-footed shot comes leisurely and centrally to the Cologne goal. No problem for Marvin Schwäbe, who buries the ball safely under himself.
20
21:20
The Domstädter are still on the trigger because the OGC Nice remains very passive. However, the guests from the Côte d’Azur defend very concentrated and have so far offered the Cologne team almost nothing.
17
21:17
Kainz brings a dangerous corner sharply to the back post, where Skhiri and Soldo are unable to assert themselves in the aerial duel with Dante.
15
21:16
Again and again the Aiglons manage to win the ball in dangerous zones with poisonous pressing. However, Nice has not yet achieved too much in the game forward. Khéphren Thuram wants to push through for Nicolas Pépé after winning the ball, but he does not start in the interface. Misunderstanding.
12.
21:12
Le Gym is very willingly leaving the field to the Cologne team at the moment and is waiting for further opportunities to get into the transition game. In case of doubt, the draw is enough for the French to progress.
9.
21:09
Adamyan plays an unlucky back pass that lands in Atal’s course. He has the eye for the free Brahimi, who can pull away from a half-left position from eleven meters. However, Huseinbašić came rushing in at the last second and blocked the shot with a perfectly timed tackle.
7.
21:07
And Cologne again: After the Aiglons lost the ball, Adamyan can pull away from a central position. With a strong reflex, Schmeichel is there and prevents the early deficit.
6.
21:06
Effzeh is also working on his first degree now. After a pass, Adamyan prevails against Todibo, but then has to pull from a very acute angle. The shot on the short corner does not pose any problems for Schmeichel.
4.
21:04
The mood in the stands is bombastic and the billy goats build up pressure on the pitch from the start. Nice can free himself playfully and create a first small chance. After a diagonal ball from Pépé, Laborde did not hit the ball properly from the left-hand position in the volley. No danger.
1.
21:00
Kick-off in the RheinEnergieStadion. The people of Cologne are all in red. The guests from the Côte d’Azur are dressed in white. Here we go.
20:36
Incidentally, the balance between the two teams, which met in the round of 16 of the 1973/74 UEFA Cup, is balanced. After the home team won both games 49 years ago, the first leg of this year’s Conference League season on September 8, 2022 on the Côte d’Azur ended in a 1-1 draw.
20:30
Lucien Favre’s team celebrated a successful dress rehearsal in Brittany at the weekend. Despite being 1-0 down early on, Nice eventually won 2-1 at FC Lorient. There are two changes to the starting XI since the Aiglons win: Khéphren Thuram and Gaëtan Laborde are preferred to Pablo Rosario (bench) and Ross Barkley (not in the squad).
20:24
OGC Nice is also in tenth place in Ligue 1, but after a mixed start to the season, it did much better recently. Le Gym are unbeaten in four straight league games (W2 D2) since losing 2-1 at Paris Saint-Germain. If they avoid defeat tonight, the Aiglons are guaranteed a place in the knockout stages of the Conference League.
20:16
At the weekend, Cologne drew 1-1 in their own stadium against Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. Coach Steffen Baumgart makes three changes compared to this game tonight: Kingsley Schindler, Ellyes Skhiri and Sargis Adamyan take over for Eric Martel, Benno Schmitz and Linton Maina (all three bench).
20:10
1. FC Köln won the last group game at 1. FC Slovácko 1-0. However, the momentum of the Domstädter is not all that pronounced at the moment. The victory in the Czech Republic was one of only two wins in the last seven competitive games (one draw, four defeats). In the Bundesliga, the billy goats slipped to tenth place with only four out of twelve possible points from the last four games.
20:05
For the Effzeh only the win counts tonight. With a three, the billy goats would still pass the French, who lead the table with eight points from five games, on the home straight. If there is also support from the Czech Republic and 1. FC Slovácko scores at Partizan Belgrade, the Bundesliga side could even win their group. In the event of a draw, on the other hand, the people of Cologne would certainly have been eliminated.
20:00
Good evening and welcome from the RheinEnergieStadion. 1. FC Köln will host OGC Nice today at 9:00 p.m. as part of the sixth matchday of Group D in the UEFA Conference League.