1. FC Köln fell to a 2:0 defeat against SC Freiburg on Sunday evening. The hosts struck twice in the final two minutes after Jeff Chabot was sent off for a second yellow card.
Team news
Christian Streich opted for two alterations after their defeat to West Ham United on Thursday evening. Merlin Röhl and Lucas Höler came in for Michael Gregoritsch and Roland Sallai.
Steffen Baumgart made four changes to the side that started against Mainz last weekend. Benno Schmitz, Max Finkgräfe, Florian Kainz and Davie Selke replaced Rasmus Carstensen, Dominique Heintz, Linton Maina and Steffen Tigges.
Level at the break
The game began at a steady pace, as intense as expected. Jeff Chabot did well to block an early Ristu Doan effort, while Jan Thielmann poked Luca Waldschmidt’s cross straight at Noah Atubolu. Merlin Röhl then dragged an effort wide with the silent protest coming to an end moments later. The game was then interrupted after many small objects found their way onto the pitch in a further form of protest.
Freiburg continued to have the better of the play, as Vincenzo Grifo brought the first real save of note from Marvin Schwäbe. His curling effort from 20 yards was easily dealt with, however. FC’s opportunities came inside the six minutes of added time, though both of Luca Waldschmidt’s swivelled shots were blocked by the Freiburg backline.
Freiburg strike twice
After the restart, it was FC who went closest. Florian Kainz’s strike from 20 yards zipped just wide of the left upright after a quick breakaway. The game was relatively uneventful in the first 15 minutes of the second period but just after a triple FC sub, Jeff Chabot was given a second yellow card for a foul on Lucas Höler and Steffen Baumgart’s side were down to 10 men.
Despite going a man down, Mark Uth had the chance to give FC the lead but he failed to wrap his foot around Linton Maina’s cross at close range. Freiburg immediately punished FC, as Michael Gregoritsch pounced to fire home from five yards after Merlin Röhl was denied by Schwäbe. The FC stopper continued to thwart the hosts, but there was nothing he could do to prevent Roland Sallai’s header from finding the bottom corner to seal the win.
FC will play their final game of 2023 against 1. FC Union Berlin on Wednesday evening at 18:30 CET. The match will see 15th host 16th at the Stadion an der Alten Försterei.
Line-ups
SC Freiburg (4-4-2): Atubolu – Sildillia (Kübler 73‘), Ginter, Gulde, Makengo (Weißhaupt 73‘) – Grifo (Sallai 67‘), Höfler, Eggestein, Doan – Höler (Gregoritsch 67‘), Röhl (Adamu 90+4‘).
1. FC Köln (4-1-3-2): Schwäbe – Schmitz, Hübers, Chabot, Finkgräfe (Carstensen 73‘) – Martel – Thielmann (Kilian 67‘), Kainz (Huseinbasic 61‘), Ljubicic (Maina 61‘) – Waldschmidt (Uth 61‘), Selke.
Goals: 1:0, Gregoritsch 72‘. 2:0, Sallai 90+5‘.
Referee: Harm Osmers (Hannover).
Booked: Ljubicic (27’), Höfler (40’), Kainz (57’), Kessler (76’).
Sent-off: Chabot (62’).
Attendance: 34,700 (sold-out).
