1. FC Köln secured a hugely important win against 1. FC Nürnberg on Friday evening at Max-Morlock-Stadion. After Janis Antiste gave the hosts the lead, a Florian Kainz double earned a vital victory for Friedhel Funkel’s side.
Team news
Miroslav Klose opted for two alterations to the team which started last weekend. Jan Reichert and Danilo Soares were replaced by Michal Kukučka and Berkay Yilmaz.
Friedhelm Funkel made three changes to the side that started the game against Jahn Regensburg last weekend. Jusuf Gazibegović, Leart Paçarada and Denis Huseinbašić replaced Max Finkgräfe, Dejan Ljubičić and Damion Downs.
Level at the break
The game got off to a flyer, or so Friedhelm Funkel thought. Tim Lemperle went to ground in the box and Robert Hartmann wasted no time in pointing to the spot. However, moments after a VAR review, the decision was reserved.
FC remained the stronger side and had early openings through Luca Waldschmidt and Lemperle, though neither were able to trouble Kukučka. The best chance in the early knockings fell to Jan Thielmann after a fine Florian Kainz reverse pass. His one-on-one looked set to creep in but came back out off the base of the post.
Funkel’s side came even closer just before the break. The ball landed with Jan Thielmann at the egde of the box and his deflected effort crashed off the crossbar before dropping down on the wrong side of the line. FC managed to work the ball back into the box and Luca Waldschmidt’s follow-up was somehow cleared off the line.
Kainz at the double
After such an impressive first-half without a goal, Nürnberg made FC pay for missed chances within the first minute of the second period. Tim Janisch was afforded time and space on the right-hand side and produced a fine cross to the back post, where Janis Antiste was on the spot to fire home from close range.
FC didn’t let the goal kill the momentum from the first-half, however. A mistake in the Nürnberg defence allowed Linton Maina to dart through on goal, only tob e denied by the sprawling Michal Kukučka.
The Czech goalkeeper was powerless to prevent the FC equaliser in the 67th minute, however. Tim Lemperle managed to break into the hosts‘ box and cutback cleverly for Florian Kainz, who forced home from 10 yards out to restore parity and get the away end going.
The game went back and forward but the last killer instinct, be it the final pass or finish, was lacking. That was until the 90th minute. Tim Lemperle pressured Kukučka into losing the ball out wide. Instead of taking on an ambitious shot, he kept his cool and laid the ball on a plate for Kainz’s second. The FC fans behind the goal were in dreamland.
FC are now six points clear of Paderborn and Elversberg, with both in action on Saturday afternoon. Friedhelm Funkel’s side are next in action on Sunday, 18th May at 15:30 CEST against 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
Line-ups
1. FC Nürnberg (3-4-1-2): Kukučka – Gruber, Knoche (Porstner 90+4‘), Drexler – Janisch (Valentini 85‘), Jander, Lubach (Chiumento 90+4‘), Yilmaz (Villadsen 77‘) – Justvan – Antiste, Emreli (Kusanovic 46‘).
1. FC Köln (4-2-3-1): Schwäbe – Gazibegović (Maina 62‘), Hübers, Heintz (Schmied 74‘), Paçarada – Martel, Huseinbašić – Thielmann, Waldschmidt (Uth 90+6‘), Kainz – Lemperle.
Goals: 1:0, Antiste 46‘. 1:1, Kainz 67‘. 1:2, Kainz 90‘.
Referee: Robert Hartmann (Wangen).
Booked: Gruber (43‘), Drexler (62‘), Lubach (66‘), Huseinbašić (87‘), Valentini (90+3‘).
Attendance: 50,000 (sold-out).