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Cologne starts with a narrow victory: Bülter secures three points in Mainz!
Mainz lost to Cologne 0-1 in the Bundesliga: Bülter scored in the 90th minute while Ache left the field injured.
Cologne starts with a narrow victory: Bülter secures three points in Mainz!
On August 24, 2025, 1. FC Cologne celebrated a successful start to the Bundesliga season. With a narrow 1-0 win against 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the MEWA Arena, the Cologne team showed that they are determined to survive in the top German league after their promotion. However, success did not come without challenges.
Cologne initially started the game defensively. The team found it difficult to get into the game, especially due to Mainz's strong line-up, which was able to record 56% of ball possession and 71% of duels won in the first half. Cologne's best chance before half-time was missed by the young striker Kaminski, who was eager to score but couldn't put the ball in the net. The game was characterized by numerous interruptions, and a controversial referee decision summed up the tension: after a corner for Mainz, Caci fell in the penalty area, but a penalty was missed. In this tense situation, Nebel received a red card from Mainz, which ultimately became the key to Cologne's turnaround.
Critical minutes and the decisive goal
In the 90th minute it was Marius Bülter who secured the decisive points for FC with a header. Bülter kept track of a precise cross from Luca Waldschmidt and sent the ball into the net. But the celebration didn't last long, because towards the end of the game, Cologne had to be without player Ragnar Ache in stoppage time, who injured his knee and could only be brought off the pitch with medical help.
The last few minutes were turbulent. Even though Cologne had now taken control of the game, the uncertainty surrounding the injured Ache was palpable. A Lee header that went just over the crossbar was the final chance to cement the result. Even though Cologne won the match 1-0, they face the challenge of compensating for Ache's injury while preparing for the upcoming games.
An important victory for coach Kwasniok
It was a memorable Bundesliga debut for coach Lukas Kwasniok. FC Köln is not only aiming to stay in the league, but also wants to use this performance to build self-confidence for the challenges ahead. “There is still a lot to do, but Sunday is our day,” commented a visibly relieved Kwasniok after the game. With this win, FC laid a good foundation to gain a foothold in the Bundesliga after being promoted for the seventh time.
The coming games will show whether the Cologne team can successfully master the new challenges of the season with the necessary strength and skill. A look at the league as a whole shows that FC is in good company - teams like Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen have also picked up their first wins, while other encounters contain surprises.
After an initial test run, exciting times lie ahead for FC Cologne. All eyes will be on how the team develops after this brilliant first appearance.
For comprehensive information about everything happening in the league, read more at kicker or geissblog.koeln and track the latest statistics bundesliga-statistics.de.