1. FC Köln lost the first game at home this season after a 2:1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. Aleix Garcia opened the scoring with a spectacular free-kick before Patrik Schick added a late second on Sunday evening at the RheinEnergieSTADION. Said El Mala converted brother Malek’s cross for some late hope, though it proved to be too little, too late.
Team news
René Wagner made one change to the team that started the 1:1 draw with Union Berlin last weekend. Mikey Moore replaced Ísak Jóhannesson.
Carles Martinez opted for three alterations to the Leverkusen side that began the 1:0 defeat to Marseille on Thursday evening. Robert Andrich, Lucas Vazquez and Jonas Hofmann were replaced by Equi Fernandez, Malik Tillman and Afonso Moreira.
Behind at the break
It was a breathless start to proceedings in Müngersdorf. FC went close twice in the early stages, with Linton Maina finding space to shoot after just 26 seconds. His shot was straight at Mark Flekken, whilst Said El Mala slipped at the crucial moment as he went to shoot from 18 yards.
Leverkusen then had their short burst of pressure. Marvin Schwäbe made three excellent saves in the space of a minute. After he turned Patrik Schick’s low effort around the post, the resulting corner was fired at goal by Ibrahim Maza. He managed to push the ball wide, before standing up straight away to thwart Malik Tillman.
Moments later, however, Schwäbe was powerless to prevent Leverkusen taking the lead. Aleix Garcia took aim from 25 yards and sent the ball up, over the wall and into the back of the net in the seventh minute.
FC almost responded in kind immediately after going behind. Marius Bülter managed to get the better of Edmond Tapsoba before crossing low into the box. Sebastian Sebulonsen came crashing in, firing towards the far bottom corner. Mark Flekken managed to cut the angle and save with his foot.
The remainder of the first-half provided little in the way of notable moments. Fouls, free-kicks and a booking for both teams were the highlights for the final half an hour as FC headed into the break a goal down.
Schick seals FC’s fate late on
The second-half was largely similar to the first, with clear cut-chances few and far between. Marvin Schwäbe was called upon by Afonso Moreira and Schick to make good and important saves around the hour mark, yet there was no real close call for FC. Ibrahim Maza wasted the best chance, sliding a low effort past the far post 10 yards out.
The killer blow came in the 85th minute, as Maza played the ball into Schick’s path. He managed to wriggle has way past Joël Schmied before curling past Marvin Schwäbe. The heated second-period, with 11 yellow cards over the course of the game, came to a grandstand finish as Said El Mala volleyed home from brother Malek’s cross in the 92nd minute. However, despite the late surge, there would be no equaliser.
FC head into the international break with nine points from nine games. René Wagner’s side are next in action against FC Bayern München. Kick-off at the Allianz Arena is at 20:30 CET on Friday 20th November.
Line-ups
1. FC Köln (4-2-2-2): Schwäbe – Sebulonsen (Castro-Montes 84‘), Schmied, Simpson-Pusey, Sosa – Okon-Engstler, Krauß (Jóhannesson 75‘) – Maina (Heskey 75‘), Moore (Waldschmidt 84‘) – Bülter (M. El Mala 75‘), S. El Mala.
Bayer Leverkusen (4-2-3-1): Flekken – Quansah, Tapsoba, Medina (Bade 88‘), Gutierrez – Garcia, Fernandez – Moreira, Tillman (Hofmann 76‘), Maza (Andrich 88‘) – Schick.
Goals: 0:1, Aleix Garcia 7‘. 0:2, Schick 85‘. 1:2, S. El Mala 90+2‘.
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Berlin).
Booked: Bülter (34‘), Krauß (40‘), Moore (46‘), Moreira (52‘), Maina (52‘), Tapsoba (53‘), Schmied (58‘), Sosa (70‘), Aleix Garcia (90+5‘), Simpson-Pusey (90+5‘), Hofmann (90+6‘).
Attendance: 50,000 (sold-out).
