Cologne beaten in the final
©IMAGO
TSG Hoffenheim are German U19 champions. For the third time after 2014 and 2024, the Kraichgau team secured the title at the end of the DFB youth league. In the final, coach Paul Ehmann’s team beat the juniors of 1. FC Köln 2-0 in the Hoffenheim Bundesliga team’s stadium. The Billy Goats started the season as defending champions.
In this year’s final, Cologne were unable to score a goal, although FC had good chances, especially at the end of the first half. A few minutes before the half-time whistle, defender Luis Stapelmann (19) missed a great chance, whereupon Lennard Völp (17) was denied by the strong save from Hoffenheim goalkeeper Nico Biedermann (18) and Benjamin Ley (18) only hit the side netting. At that point, TSG was already leading 2-0 thanks to goals from Maxim Naumann (18) in the 18th minute and Finn Sherlock (17) in the 37th minute. Sherlock and Krystof Cizek (18) had further chances in the first half and the lead was deserved.
After the break, which was delayed for a short time due to a thunderstorm, the Cologne team was unable to make things exciting against Hoffenheim again, despite a period of pressure. Instead, Cologne goalkeeper Timo Schmitz (19) prevented an even bigger defeat in twelve minutes of stoppage time. On the other hand, Biedermann also provided strong support and was named player of the game.
TSG crowned a season in which they have not lost a game since February with the championship title and will compete in the UEFA Youth League next season. In the finals, the Kraichgauers defeated FC Schalke 04, Energie Cottbus and Mainz 05. The Cologne team, who impressively eliminated FC Bayern as well as Heidenheim and SC Paderborn, come away empty-handed this time after the spectacular 5:4 in last year’s final against Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
