FC Augsburg got ten points from the last four games, but after a wild game the series was broken: Against 1. FC Köln it’s good, but after a wild back and forth the guests can celebrate. Steffen Tigges decides the game late.
1. FC Köln has found its way back to success and slowed down FC Augsburg’s flight. After the last three competitive defeats in a row, the team of coach Steffen Baumgart managed to win 3: 2 (0: 1) over the feared opponent. In front of 49,000 spectators in the Rhein-Energie Stadium, Steffen Tigges (47th minute and 81st) and Denis Huseinbasic (61st) ensured Cologne’s deserved victory. Unlike the defeat in the Conference League just three days earlier at Partizan Belgrade (0-2), FC put on an appealing performance. For the first time this season, a victory was achieved after an international appearance.
FC coach Baumgart had already expressed his concern about a clouded mood before the kick-off, alluding to the three previous defeats: “Our biggest problem in Cologne is that we were too good last year and many think that’s how it works continue. Now we have a phase where we have to work our way out, “he commented on DAZN.
But his team, who had changed five positions compared to the game in Belgrade (0:2), had to cope with the next setback after just a few minutes. A pass from Frederik Winther over half the pitch sent Niederlechner skillfully into the far corner after receiving the ball, which is well worth seeing. This early goal triggered a memory of the early goal in the Cologne team and caused a brief confusion. Only after the second Augsburg goal by Mergin Berisha (19th), which was disallowed for offside, did Cologne show a positive reaction. But Linton Maina (21st) failed from close range to guest keeper Tomas Koubek.
From now on, the Augsburg defense, which had been modified after the two suspended players Maximilian Bauer and Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, came under increasing pressure. In the 33rd minute, Ruben Vargas was in dire need of a shot by Tigges from close range. In addition, Gikiewicz substitute Koubek could once again be relied on in goal, who was there when Ondrej Duda shot just before half-time.
The FCA defense initially held the zero with a lot of passion, but hardly came up with relief attacks. But like the 3:2 in the last home game against Borussia Dortmund, the Cologne team came out of the dressing room with more momentum. The game seemed to have turned around within a few minutes. Tigges made it 1-1 after a nice pass from Maina. A little later, Huseibasic took advantage of the confusion in the opposing defense and scored with vehemence from close range.
It speaks for the grown class of Augsburg that they hit back again. Caligiuri, who came on as a substitute in the second half, scored to make it 2-2 after assisting Niederlechner. But Tigges gave Cologne the hoped-for sense of achievement with his second goal. This is how the run of FC Augsburg ended with the negative series of 1. FC Köln: The Rosenauers had collected ten points there and beat FC Bayern, among others.
