1. FC Köln secured a dramatic draw against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday afternoon at the Volkswagen Arena. Luca Waldschmidt opened the scoring early on against his former club before Mohammed Amoura levelled before half-time. The hosts went ahead through Lovro Majer, only to be pegged back in the 91st minute by Ísak Jóhannesson. Maximilian Arnold looked to have won the game for the hosts but a Jakub Kamiński goal in the 104th minute secured a share of the spoils.
Team news
Paul Simonis opted for two alterations from the team that drew against Mainz prior to pause in Bundesliga play. Joakim Maehle and Mohammed Amoura came into the line-up in place of Aaron Zehnter and Dzenan Pejcinovic.
Lukas Kwasniok made two changes to the side that started the win against SC Freiburg before the international break. Denis Huseinbašić and Ísak Jóhannesson were replaced by Joël Schmied and Luca Waldschmidt.
Level at the break
The game got off to the perfect start from an FC perspective. After Marius Bülter was played into space on the left, and he picked out Jan Thielmann 10 yards from goal. His effort was saved by Kamil Grabara, though Luca Waldschmidt was quickest to the rebound and poked home against his former club in the 5th minute.
The first-half was progressing largely without note until a torrent of rain hit the Volkswagen Arena as a thunderstorm closed around the stadium. After a short break in play, things continued as before. Wolfsburg beginning to enjoy more possession but without finding a clear-cut chance to test Marvin Schwäbe.
That changed in the 42nd minute, however. Maximilian Arnold’s free-kick from the left was met by Mohammed Amoura and the Wolfsburg forward rose highest in the area to head home from close range. That is how the game headed into the break with the teams tied at the break.
Stoppage time drama
The second-half began evenly matched. FC thought they had went ahead with the first real opening of the second period thanks to Marius Bülter. However, a lengthy VAR check chalked off his goal. Two minutes later, the tables turned completely after Joakim Maehle managed to find Lovro Majer to tap-in from close range.
Said El Mala threatened to equalise in the 82nd minute, only to see his effort after a mazy run deflected into the side-netting. There was no stopping him nine minutes later, as he turned provider for Ísak Jóhannesson to find the far post from 12 yards out.
However, the game took another twist in the 99th minute. A wonderful free-kick from Maximilian Arnold arrowed into the top corner from 20 yards out and left FC chasing an equaliser for a second time. That is just what FC found, too. Ragnar Ache nodded down for Jakub Kamiński, who kept his cool to pick out the bottom corner and send the away end wild.
FC end the day in third place and are next in action on Saturday, 20th September. Kick-off in Leipzig is at 18:30 CEST.
Line-ups
VfL Wolfsburg (4-2-3-1): Grabara – Fischer, Jenz, Koulierakis, Maehle – Arnold, Vinicius Souza – Skov Olsen (Daghim 89’), Majer (Seelt 85’), Wimmer (Lindström 89’) – Amoura (Pejcinovic 70’).
1. FC Köln (3-3-2-2): Schwäbe – Schmied, van den Berg (Kainz 71’), Hübers – Sebulonsen (Castro-Montes 63’), Martel, Lund (Ache 78’) – Thielmann (El Mala 63’), Kamiński – Waldschmidt (Jóhannesson 46’), Bülter.
Goals: 0:1, Waldschmidt 5’. 1:1, Amoura 42’. 2:1, Majer 65’. 2:2, Jóhannesson 90+1’. 3:2, Arnold 90+9’. 3:3, Kamiński 90+14’.
Referee: Bastian Dankert (Rostock).
Booked: Majer (67’), Schmied (72’), Jóhannesson (83’), Grabara (86’).
Attendance: 28,917 (sold-out).