Despite taking the lead against Werder Bremen on Saturday evening, 1. FC Köln fell to defeat in the Weserstadion. Davie Selke opened the scoring against his former club before Rafael Borré and Justin Njinmah turned the game around for the hosts.
Team news
Ole Werner opted for five changes following the defeat to 1. FC Heidenheim last weekend. Marco Friedl, Christian Groß, Anthony Jung, Dawid Kownacki and Nick Woltemade were replaced by Milos Veljkovic, Senne Lynen, Olivier Deman, Marvin Ducksch and Rafael Borré.
Steffen Baumgart made just one change from the side that started the defeat to TSG Hoffenheim, as Luca Waldschmidt came into the line-up in place of Rasmus Carstensen.
Level at the break
The game began full of gusto in the opening stages, with both sides coming forward in search of an early goal. Marvin Ducksch’s inswinging corner was headed over by Niklas Stark, with Linton Maina’s curling effort from 20 yards blocked. A similar shot came in 10 minutes later, with Jiri Pavlenka making a good stop low to his left.
Jeff Chabot and Denis Huseinbasic then had to make important interventions to halt Bremen, but it was FC who went ahead. An FC corner wasn’t dealt with by the hosts and after pinball ensued, Davie Selke was on hand to power home with his head from close range.
However, the hosts weren’t behind for long. Ducksch fed Rafael Borré and found the bottom corner when one-on-one with Marvin Schwäbe. The FC ‘keeper then made an important save to deny Olivier Deman just before the break, palming away his stinging half-volley from 20 yards.
Substitute strikes
Bremen began the better of the two teams after the restart and Romano Schmid almost gave them the lead, only for Marvin Schwäbe to be alert at his near post. Timo Hübers made a last-ditch intervention to deny Borré moments later. The game was somewhat stop-start after that before Ole Werner brought on Justin Njinmah. The young forward burst through within moments of coming off the bench and found a way past Marvin Schwäbe.
FC had chances to get level late on. Steffen Tigges headed straight at Pavlenka, with the Czech stopper doing brilliantly to tip over Benno Schmitz’s deflected effort. The best opportunity of them all fell to Damion Downs who, on his Bundesliga debut, headed against the post from close range in the final minute of normal time.
FC are next in action on Saturday, 30th September at 15:30 CEST against VfB Stuttgart at the RheinEnergieSTADION.
Line-ups
SV Werder Bremen (3-3-2-2): Pavlenka – Pieper, Stark, Veljkovic – Weiser, Lynen (Groß 80‘), Deman (Jung 80‘) – Schmid (Keita 90+2‘), Stage – Ducksch (Woltemade 80‘), Borré (Njinmah 66‘).
1. FC Köln (4-2-3-1): Schwäbe – Schmitz, Hübers, Chabot, Pacarada – Huseinbasic (Tigges 75‘), Kainz – Ljubicic (Adamyan 83‘), Waldschmidt (Alidou 65‘), Maina (Downs 83‘) – Selke.
Goals: 0:1, Selke 31’. 1:1, Borré 38’. 2:1, Nijnmah 67’.
Referee: Bastian Dankert (Rostock).
Booked: Alidou (73’), Veljkovic (88’).a