René Wagner and his 1. FC Köln earned a 2:2 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt in his first match as head coach.
After a first-half full of chances neither side could break the deadlock, though a double salvo from Frankfurt with goals through Jonny Burkardt and Arnaud Kalimuendo quickly turned the game on its head.
However, FC didn’t let their heads drop and struck back immediately through Jakub Kamiński. Alessio Castro-Montes came off the bench as all three late subs combined to rescue a more than deserved share of the spoils.
Team news
Albert Riera made three alterations from the team that started the 2:1 defeat to Mainz before the international break. Nnamdi Collins, Fares Chaibi and Jean-Matteo Bahoya were replaced by Robin Koch, Oscar Hojlund and Ansgar Knauff.
René Wagner opted for four changes in his first game in charge, in comparison to the side that started against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Sebastian Sebulonsen, Jan Thielmann, Tom Krauß and Denis Huseinbašić replaced Cenny Neumann, Ísak Jóhannesson, Eric Martel and Linton Maina.
Chances but no goals
René Wagner almost got off to the perfect start as FC head coach after just 30 seconds. Tom Krauß found the run of Jakub Kamiński, who cut inside before forcing Michael Zetterer into a low save. The ball sprung free from his grasp and was prodded goalward by Ragnar Ache, though Zetterer was quick to react and made a strong stop.
The counter-attack was causing Frankfurt problems but it was the hosts who went closest with the next big chance. After a clever pass from Hugo Larsson, Ansgar Knauff went through on goal against Marvin Schwäbe but dragged his effort wide of the upright. Schwäbe was tested not long after, standing tall one-on-one against the dangerous Arnaud Kalimuendo.
FC would have two more great openings to go ahead late in the first period. Said El Mala shot just wide after some great footwork following a positive piece of defensive work from Sebastian Sebulonsen. The best chance of all fell to Kamiński, though his first-touch let him down and allowed Michael Zetterer the time to close him down just in time and keep out his one-on-one opportunity.
End-to-end second-half
The second-half kept up the entertaining flair of the first period, though both sides continued to have their issues in front of goal. That changed in the 66th minute, however. A driving run from Fares Chaibi saw him cutback for Jonny Burkardt, who was left with a tap-in to break the FC resolve.
Despite trying to stabilise after going behind, it was Frankfurt who struck once more. A cross from the left wasn’t cleared as it should have been, with Arnaud Kalimuendo rewarding his good play on the afternoon with a stinging half-volley from eight yards rasping the back of the net and leaving Marvin Schwäbe helpless.
However, FC didn’t let their heads drop. Moments later, the hope was restored. Ísak Jóhannesson won the ball back in the Frankfurt half and found Ragnar Ache. He was fouled but Dr. Florian Exner waved play on as Jakub Kamiński drove at goal and fired home with the help of a deflection in the 70th minute.
Said El Mala was denied brilliantly by the ever-present Zetterer in the Frankfurt goal, but he was powerless to prevent FC getting a more-than-deserved equaliser. Kristoffer Lund’s cross was flicked to the back post by Luca Waldschmidt, with Marius Bülter firing across the face of goal for Alessio Castro-Montes to restore parity.
Try as both teams might, there would not be a late fifth goal in the Deutsche Bank Park. FC are next in action on Sunday, 12th April against SV Werder Bremen. Kick-off at the RheinEnergieSTADION is at 15:30 CEST.
Line-ups
Eintracht Frankfurt (4-4-2): Zetterer – Brown, Amenda, Koch, Theate – Doan (Götze 67‘), Larsson (Skhiri 82‘), Hojlund (Chaibi 56‘), Knauff (Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab 56‘) – Kalimuendo, Burkardt (Ebnoutalib 82‘).
1. FC Köln (3-3-2-2): Schwäbe – Sebulonsen, van den Berg, Cenk – Thielmann (Maina 75‘), Huseinbašić (Jóhannesson 67‘), Lund – Krauß (Castro-Montes 82‘), Kamiński – Ache (Bülter 82‘), El Mala (Waldschmidt 82‘).
Goals: 1:0, Burkardt 66‘. 2:0, Kalimuendo 69‘. 2:1, Kamiński 70‘. 2:2, Castro-Montes 83‘.
Referee: Dr. Florian Exner (Münster).
Booked: Knauff (22‘), Waldschmidt (90‘), Kamiński (90+6‘).
Attendance: 59,300.