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1. FC Köln secured three important points against SpVgg Greuther Fürth on Saturday afternoon. Damion Downs headed home a Florian Kainz corner in the 94th minute to win the game for Gerhard Struber’s side.
Team news
Gerhard Struber named the same starting side that began the 1:0 win against Hertha BSC last weekend.
Leo Haas made three changes to the team that lost 5:1 against Darmstadt last time out. Maximilian Dietz, Niko Gießelmann and Roberto Massimo replaced Gideon Jung, Luca Itter and Nemanja Motika.
Level at the break
FC started the first-half with real control over the game yet it was Fürth who had the two best openings. Noel Futkeu was set free by a long ball over the FC backline and went one-on-one with Marvin Schwäbe, only to be denied by the FC stopper. Moments later it was Roberto Massimo through on goal, yet his cutback for Sacha Bancé was behind the midfielder and Schwäbe gleefully grabbed the loose ball.
The remainder of the first period provided little in the way of action. FC were enjoying more than the lion’s share of possession, but unable to make much of it. The closest Struber’s side came was after a mazy Linton Maina dribble. He dragged his near-post shot wide from six yards out.
Downs’ decider
The second-half began as the first ended, this time without the sporadic Fürth chances. The visitors were sitting deep and FC had a tough time of trying to find a way through their backline. Leart Pacarada’s free-kick from 25 yards clipped the crossbar and that was the closest either side came after the first 20 minutes.
It looked like the brave blocks from Maximilian Dietz and Gideon Jung would secure Fürth a hard-earned point but FC had other ideas. A Florian Kainz corner was misjudged by Nahuel Noll and Damion Downs was in the right place at the right time to start the party early ahead of 11.11. He headed home from two yards out in the 94th minute to finally break the deadlock.
FC go into the international break in sixth place, two points behind the promotion places. Struber’s side are next in action on Friday, 22nd November against SC Preußen Münster. Kick-off in the Preußenstadion after the international break is at 18:30 CET.
Line-ups
1. FC Köln (3-4-1-2): Schwäbe – Pauli (Kainz 84’), Hübers, Heintz – Thielmann (Waldschmidt 58’), Martel, Huseinbasic, Pacarada (Finkgräfe 69’) – Ljubicic – Maina, Lemperle (Downs 84’).
SpVgg Greuther Fürth (3-4-1-2): Noll – Meyerhöfer, Michalski, Dietz – Asta (Jung 75’), Bansé, Green, Gießelmann (Münz 82’) – Hrgota – Massimo (Srbeny 82’), Futkeu (Motika 64’).
Goals: 1:0, Downs 90+4’.
Referee: Daniel Schlager (Hügelsheim).
Booked: Heintz (44‘), Futkeu (44‘), Kessler (61’), Dietz (64’), Downs (90+1’), Jung (90+1’).
Attendance: 49,600.