1. FC Köln secured a 1:0 win against SSV Jahn Regensburg to bring a busy week to a successful end. Tim Lemperle got the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute.
Team news
Andreas Patz opted for three alterations to the team that began the 3:0 DFB-Pokal loss to VfB Stuttgart in midweek. Alexander Bittroff, Andreas Geipl and Eric Hottmann were replaced by Rasim Bulic, Christian Viet and Christian Kühlwetter.
Gerhard Struber made two changes to the side that started the Pokal win against Hertha BSC during the week. Leart Pacarada and Florian Kainz came into the line-up in place of Julian Pauli and Max Finkgräfe.
Ahead at the break
FC were the team keen to create from the get-go. Denis Huseinbasic could have opened the scoring after a mere two minutes, only to just miss out on Tim Lemperle’s cross. Dominique Heintz’s header was gathered by Felix Gebhardt, who was proving to be a real thorn in FC’s side.
However, that chance saw Heintz’s header deflect off Kai Pröger’s hand. After a VAR check, Konrad Oldhafer pointed to the spot. Unlike on Wednesday evening, Dejan Ljubicic was denied by a brilliant Gebhardt save low to his right. Gebhardt made a double save moments later, keeping out Lemperle after a real scramble in the box.
Robin Ziegele brought a similarly good save from Marvin Schwäbe in the 29th minute, with his free header at the back post Schwäbe first real stop of the game. Then, in the 32nd minute, FC managed to take the lead. Florian Kainz’s through ball was perfectly weighted for Tim Lemperle, who drove through and poked past the oncoming Gebhardt.
Unfortunately for FC and Lemperle, he was forced off injured after the goal. There were late chances on both sides before the break. First, it was another corner from Regensburg that forced Schwäbe into an even better save than his initial stop, clawing away a header from Louis Breunig. Dejan Ljubicic fired just wide in the 45thminute.
FC see things out
The second-half did not produce close to the same amount of chances as the first. Midway through the second period, the rain in Regensburg made a difficult surface even more challenging. Aside from a Bryan Hein effort from 10 yards, there was little in the way of danger for Marvin Schwäbe’s goal.
Thanks to the win, FC move up to sixth and are two points behind leaders, SC Paderborn. FC are next in action on Sunday, 15th December against 1. FC Nürnberg. Kick-off at the RheinEnergieSTADION is at 13:30 CET.
Line-ups
SSV Jahn Regensburg (3-4-2-1): Gebhardt – Wurm, Ziegele, Breunig – Ochojski (Hottmann 65‘), Bulic, Viet, Hein – Pröger (Huth 88‘), Kother (Ouro-Tagba 65‘) – Kühlwetter (Ganaus 80‘).
1. FC Köln. (3-4-1-2): Schwäbe – Hübers, Martel, Heintz (Finkgräfe 83‘) – Thielmann (Obuz 72‘), Ljubicic (Olesen 83‘), Huseinbasic, Pacarada – Kainz (Uth 72‘) – Lemperle (Downs 34‘), Maina.
Goal: 0:1, Lemperle 33’.
Referee: Konrad Oldhafer (Poppenbüttel).
Booked: Heintz (21‘), Kother (58‘), Huseinbasic (73’), Martel (86’).
Attendance: 14,232.
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