After playing 75 minutes with 10 men, a brave FC display went without reward against Bayer Leverkusen. Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo sealed the win for the visitors on Sunday afternoon in the RheinEnergieSTADION.
Team news
Timo Schultz made four changes to the side that started against VfB Stuttgart in the 1:1 draw last weekend. Timo Hübers, Faride Alidou, Linton Maina and Sargis Adamyan replaced Luca Kilian, Denis Huseinbasic, Florian Kainz and Justin Diehl.
Xabi Alonso opted for three alterations after the win against Mainz. Josip Stanisic, Piero Hincapie and Patrik Schick replaced Odlin Kossounou, Edmond Tapsoba and Amine Adli.
Behind at the break
Even though Leverkusen went close to opening the scoring through Jonas Hofmann early on, FC started the game well. It could also have been the perfect start, too. Linton Maina made headway down the left before sending a cross to Dejan Ljubicic, who headed wide at the back post.
That promising start took a dent soon after. Jan Thielmann fouled Granit Xhaka and after a VAR check, was sent off by Tobias Stieler after catching the Leverkusen player on the Achilles. The crowd were fired up and so were the players and battled well against the Leverkusen front line.
Marvin Schwäbe did excellently to deny Florian Wirtz in the 37th minute but, less than 60 seconds later, the visitors found the back of the net. Alejandro Grimaldo’s cross was flicked on at the near post by Schick and forced home by the incoming Jeremie Frimpong. FC did have a late chance through Faride Alidou, though his header was off target.
Grimaldo seals it
The second-half began with more Leverkusen possession and pressure, though it was Timo Schultz’s side with the first real opening. Rasmus Carstensen clipped the ball to the back post, with Sargis Adamyan’s acrobatic effort crashing off the inside of the post and out, much to Leverkusen’s delight.
Despite FC’s best efforts, their would be no joy on the counter and Leverkusen were able to seal the game in the 73rd minute. They moved the ball inside before Alejandro Grimaldo was able to get his name on the scoresheet, finding a way under the sprawling Marvin Schwäbe.
FC are next in action on Saturday, 9th March against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Kick-off at Borussia-Park is at 15:30 CET.
Line-ups
1. FC Köln (4-4-2): Schwäbe – Carstensen, Hübers, Chabot, Finkgräfe – Alidou (Tigges 82’), Ljubicic, Martel (Huseinbasic 82’), Maina (Schmitz 82’) – Thielmann, Adamyan (Diehl 65’, Pacarada 69’).
Bayer Leverkusen (3-4-2-1): Hradecky – Stanisic, Tah, Hincapie (Tapsoba 79’) – Frimpong (Tella 46‘), Andrich, Xhaka (Palacios 82’), Grimaldo – Hofmann (Adli 65‘), Wirtz – Schick (Iglesias 65‘).
Goals: 0:1, Frimpong 38‘. 0:2, Grimaldo 73‘.
Referee: Tobias Stieler (Hamburg).
Booked: Ljubicic (17’), Frimpong (23’), Stanisic (59’).
Sent-off: Thielmann (14‘).
Attendance: 50,000 (sold-out).
