1. FC Köln showed two faces in the test against fifth division club SV Bergisch-Gladbach – the second, young face in particular was impressive.
Hit it: Jacob Christensen high-fives double packer Damian Downs (right). IMAGO/Beautiful Sports
1. FC Köln scored their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw in Frankfurt, after which coach Steffen Baumgart explained to DAZN that they wanted to use the upcoming international break to get players like Linton Maina and Steffen Tigges who had been hit recently closer to lead the team – or to better integrate summer newcomer Dominique Heintz.
On Wednesday, all three were in the Belkaw Arena in the test against fifth division SV Bergisch Gladbach 09 in the starting XI. Although Baumgart had to do without a few national players as well as the ailing Jeff Chabot and Davie Selke and was therefore unable to watch his best eleven, in the end he was quite satisfied with the performance of the second set.
Cologne got off to a flying start, leading 2-0 after six minutes and goals from Tigges and Faride Alidou – both goals were preceded by precise crosses from right-back Rasmus Carstensen. After that, the Effzeh controlled what was happening, but did not follow up on the great football weather and a good backdrop (3000 spectators had gathered). This is how a game with few highlights developed, in which the Bundesliga club didn’t particularly cover themselves with glory, but never really got into danger.
It was only after the change of sides that it was the youngsters who came on as substitutes who stood out and brought about a befitting 6-0 win: 19-year-old Damion Downs shone with a brace, Joao Pinto of the same age showed shot qualities, while Meiko Wäschenbach – also only 19 years old – worth seeing scored from a direct free kick.
In Cologne you “still have a lot to do”
The trainer’s verdict was differentiated afterwards. “The first half wasn’t so good, the second half was better,” said Baumgart via the club’s website and explained: “We only had the solutions forward in the second round, it was good there. But in the first half after the two early ones goals we played too slowly and too complicated.”
The 51-year-old says that one has to admit that Bergisch-Gladbach played well at times, but he also stated: “The test match shows that we still have a lot to do.”
2023-09-06 18:39:13
#19yearolds #ensure #success #Köln
