1. FC Köln has suffered a bitter deficit in the relegation battle of the women’s Bundesliga. The FC women made up a three-goal deficit against second-to-last 1. FC Nürnberg, but still lost in the end
On matchday 17, FC lost 3:4 (0:1) in the Franz Kremer Stadium at home. With a win, the Cologne team could have extended their lead over Nuremberg and the relegation places to eight points, now coach Daniel Weber’s team is only two points ahead of the Nuremberg team in the penultimate place in the table.
Lara Schmidt gave FCN the lead from the penalty spot in the 28th minute. Vanessa Haim made it 2-0 in the 50th minute before Cologne’s Celina Degen scored in her own goal in the 54th minute. And then it got wild: Selina Cerci (80th), Degen (88th) and Natalia Padilla-Bida (90+1) equalized for FC, but Medina Desic (90th+2) scored for Nuremberg’s victory.
17th matchday arrow right
Epee hits the crossbar
FC took control of the game from the start and almost took the lead in the fourth minute had Degen not hit the crossbar with her header. Nuremberg then found their way into the game better, stood securely at the back and repeatedly put pinpricks forward.
In the 26th minute, Cologne’s Janina Hechler came too late in a duel against Medina Dešić in the penalty area and caught the Nuremberg player in her tackle. Referee Riem Hussein logically pointed to the penalty spot. Lara Schmidt took care of the matter and confidently converted the ball into the left corner to give Nuremberg the lead.
MSV Duisburg on the expressway towards the second league arrow right Bayer women triumph in the derby arrow right
From then on the game was competitive. FC had a hard time attacking. Nuremberg always remained dangerous. At the break, however, it remained 0-1 from Cologne’s perspective.
Cologne defense duped
Just five minutes after the restart, the score changed – but to Cologne’s disadvantage. Nuremberg’s Amira Arfaoui passed exactly into the interface of the Cologne defense to Haim, who had a free path and hit the ball past goalkeeper Paula Hoppe into the far corner from a half-right position.
And things got even worse for FC: just four minutes after conceding, Degen misdirected a cross from Haim into his own goal – 0:3.
FC scores three times in ten minutes
However, Cologne didn’t give up, continued to run and actually came back again: In the 80th minute, Nuremberg’s goalkeeper Lea Paulick was unable to hold on to a long-range shot from Padilla-Bilas, and Cerci scored to make it 1-3. In the 88th minute, Degen was there and headed home after a corner. In the first minute of stoppage time, Martyna Wiankowska brought a ball from the left side low in front of the goal, where Padilla-Billas was in the right position and scored the much celebrated equalizer.
But the celebration only lasted exactly one minute: In the second minute of stoppage time, Nuremberg’s Desic suddenly appeared in the Cologne penalty area and scored from an acute angle to give Nuremberg victory.
The FC women continue on April 15th (7:30 p.m.) with an away game at TSG Hoffenheim. The day before (2 p.m.) 1. FC Nürnberg hosted SGS Essen.
