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Cologne derby debacle: Gladbach celebrates liberation 3-1!
Cologne loses 1:3 in the Rhenish derby against Gladbach. Insight into the course of the game and importance for both teams.
Cologne derby debacle: Gladbach celebrates liberation 3-1!
On Saturday evening in Borussia Park the mood was clear on the side of Borussia Mönchengladbach, who defeated 1. FC Köln 3-1 in the Rhenish derby. The duel was the 99th meeting between the two teams in the Bundesliga and offered plenty of drama. In front of 54,042 spectators, the game had its ups and downs that were a topic of conversation both on and off the field.
The start of the game was intense, with early chances for Cologne, but Gladbach's goalkeeper, Moritz Nicolas, made impressive saves. In the 45th minute, Gladbach had the opportunity to take the lead: Haris Tabakovic went for a penalty, but was denied by Cologne's defense. Just 49 seconds after this failed attempt, Philipp Sander actually scored the first goal for the hosts in stoppage time in the first half (45th + 2). Gladbach went into the break with a lead, which was not very pleasing for Cologne coach, Lukas Kwasniok.
The turning point in the game
After halftime, Gladbach continued immediately and was able to increase the lead to 2-0 in the 61st minute with another penalty from Kevin Diks. This was awarded for Gladbach after a foul by Kristoffer Lund. Just three minutes later, Tabakovic scored the third goal and sent Cologne further on the defensive (64th). Although Cologne tried everything afterwards, the pressure remained without resounding success until Luca Waldschmidt scored the goal from a penalty in the second minute of added time (90th + 1).
The situation was more than important for Gladbach, as up to this game they had only managed one win from their first ten Bundesliga games and were therefore deep in the relegation battle. However, under interim coach Eugen Polanski, they have now shown a noticeable improvement after they were also able to shine in the DFB Cup with a clear win (4-0 against St. Pauli and 3-1 against KSC). The derby victory could even pave the way for Polanski to be promoted as a coach.
A talent for criticism
The derby was also a bitter disappointment for Cologne. The talented super-talent, Said El Mala, who was considered a great hope, was substituted at half-time due to his poor performance. El Mala, who has a history with Gladbach and was sorted out there in 2021, could not meet expectations.
The security precautions around Borussia Park were also notable. Numerous police vehicles and a cavalry squadron were deployed, and there was a ban on glass and bottles in the city to prevent possible confrontations.
In summary, it can be said that the last derby for Cologne is a calendar week to forget. The team urgently needs improvements in the next games in order not to lose touch with the international places. Gladbach, on the other hand, took an important step towards staying in the league with this victory and temporarily took twelfth place in the table. The discussion about coaching changes in the Bundesliga shows how quickly the situation can change, as was the case with Gladbach with their new interim coach Polanski (Statista).
The question remains for all football fans: How will Cologne present themselves in the next game? We will see the answers to that soon. Until then, there will certainly be a lot of discussion about the derby defeat and Kwasniok's future.