The footballers from 1. FC Köln needed a late goal again. Like on the previous Saturday against Schalke. But this time they were not lucky. The Bundesliga club lost the relegation first leg against the second division Holstein Kiel with 0: 1 (0: 0). Cologne is threatened with the fourth Bundesliga relegation within 15 years. On Saturday afternoon (6 p.m.) the matter will be finally decided in the second leg in Kiel. “Of course, I imagined it differently. But I knew it would be a difficult task,” said Cologne coach Friedhelm Funkel. “We didn’t create as many clear chances as we did on Saturday against Schalke. We still had a few chances and didn’t allow much overall.” But he also knew: “We will have to put in a better performance on Saturday.”
The relegation often works in such a way that an euphoric second division third on a depressed Bundesliga 16. and that this is one of the reasons why it will be exciting. All four relegation matches of the past two years ended in a draw and were only decided by the number of away goals: in 2019 in favor of the second division Union Berlin (against VfB Stuttgart) and in 2020 in favor of the Bundesliga club Werder Bremen (against 1. FC Heidenheim ).
This time, an actually euphoric Bundesliga 16 met in Cologne. and a supposedly doubtful second division third on each other: Cologne had won three of their last five games of the season and only lost one of these five. They were happy to have made it into the relegation at all. The Kiel, however, had lost their last two games of the season. You could have been contrite not to have been promoted directly and to have to be relegated at all.
But were Cologne happiness and Kiel anger recognizable on Wednesday evening? Not at all. It took less than two minutes before the Cologne team had a bloody nose, more precisely: Marius Wolf after a check by his colleague Sebastiaan Bornauw. After that, only heart and soul could be seen on both sides. The teams were equal, the Cologne team seemed more committed. It should remain a nervous game until the end.
Cologne had not quite started with the starting line-up with which they won 1-0 against Schalke on Saturday. The trainer Friedhelm Funkel brought Ellyes Skhiri and Ismail Jakobs into the team, Jonas Hector moved up to the top. His role as a center forward seemed to have surprised the Kiel. Ondrej Duda acted as the hanging tip.
The guests seemed to be looking for a goalless draw
Kiel could not start with the starting line-up with which they had lost 3-2 to Darmstadt on the previous Sunday. The coach Ole Werner had to replace Jonas Meffert and Alexander Mühling in midfield, both of whom were suspended for the relegation first leg after their fifth yellow card. Werner also brought in Niklas Hauptmann for Fabian Reese. The Cologne-born captain is on loan from 1. FC Köln.
Hauptmann disturbed the people of Cologne in the front line. The Holsteiners only had chances through a counterattack. The people of Cologne were dangerous here and there. A shot from Duda just outside the goal just before the break was the best chance. Behind the south stand you could hear the Cologne fans gathering there. They sang, roared and kept the police in check.
The people of Kiel also had to keep the people of Cologne in check. The guests seemed to be looking for a goalless draw, but a few seconds after Simon Lorenz came into play for Ignjovski in the 59th minute, he headed the 1-0 for Holstein. It should remain the golden gate. “We took a chance,” said Kiel coach Ole Werner, “but this effectiveness is also needed.” Janni Serra even hit the crossbar for Kiel (78th). On the other hand, Neumann from Kiel saved twice on the line after a free kick (84th), whereby the rescue act against the substitute (and still ailing) FC striker Sebastian Andersson was particularly noteworthy.
Union Berlin prevailed in 2019 with two draws as the second division against the Bundesliga club Stuttgart, but it has been nine years since a second division has ever won a relegation game. Fortuna Düsseldorf with a 2-1 first leg win at Hertha BSC Berlin was on May 10, 2012 the last second list to win. Since then, the Bundesliga club has won eight times in 17 relegation matches and has drawn nine times. Six of the eight wins were achieved with only one hit difference. Relegation was never for the faint of heart. And it definitely won’t be on Saturday either. “It’s half-time,” said Friedhelm Funkel. “0: 1 is a result that can be corrected.” Kiel’s colleague Ole Werner, on the other hand, said: “We worked out this advantage at halftime with a lot of passion.”
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