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El Mala leads Cologne to a narrow victory in Hoffenheim!
1. FC Cologne wins 1-0 in Hoffenheim. Saïd El Mala scores the goal while Marvin Schwäbe shines. More information about the game.
El Mala leads Cologne to a narrow victory in Hoffenheim!
Yesterday, on October 3rd, 2025, 1. FC Köln played against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the sold-out PreZero Arena and won 1-0. Saïd El Mala scored the only goal in the 16th minute, which not only gave Cologne the important three points, but also briefly catapulted them into a Champions League place. Goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe excelled with several strong saves, especially in the first half, and defended the narrow lead until the final whistle, as ZDF reports.
The game started with a lot of pace; Hoffenheim had a promising chance in the 6th minute. But FC Köln were more active offensively and took advantage of a mistake in the Hoffenheim defense: Wouter Burger was unfortunate in letting the ball pass, which gave El Mala the opportunity to take the lead. “We defended well and worked hard for the win,” said Schwäbe, praising his team’s overall defensive performance after the game. Cologne showed an average willingness to run 127 kilometers, which underlines the efficiency of their style of play. Sportschau highlights that Hoffenheim suffered their third defeat in their third home game this season - a strong setback for the hosts.
Fighting spirit and taking advantage of opportunities
As the game progressed, Hoffenheim gained more possession of the ball and had several shots on goal, but were unable to find a successful finish. “The efficiency of our chances was inadequate,” stated Hoffenheim coach Christian Ilzer and was dissatisfied with how his team had exploited their opportunities. Even though Hoffenheim showed more effort in the second half, they were unable to equalize. FC Cologne's defense, led by a strong performance from Schwäbe, no longer allowed any compelling chances.
The heated atmosphere helped referee Felix Zwayer hand out a number of yellow cards, including for Cologne players such as Sebastian Sebulonsen and assistant coach Frank Kaspari. In the first half, both teams collected a total of five bookings. A controversial penalty for Cologne was overturned after a VAR review, which increased the tension even further.
Looking ahead
There are now tough times ahead for TSG Hoffenheim as they have to play against St. Pauli in the upcoming game. 1. FC Köln, on the other hand, will want to prove themselves against Augsburg and can certainly take the momentum from this victory with them. The next meeting will be another chance for Cologne to maintain their firm place in the top third of the table and perhaps even get close to qualifying for the Champions League, as can be seen in the current tables from ZDF. Many fans are hoping for a continuation of the positive performance.