FC Köln finally scored the first 1-0 lead of their Bundesliga season on matchday five. Linton Maina found the net in the 11th minute against Werder Bremen, just three minutes after Thijs Dallinga had missed a penalty.
The 1-1 draw last Saturday at the RheinEnergieSTADION concluded a generally solid period for Effzeh. Across their last five competitive matches, the team has recorded three wins, one draw and one defeat, a run of DLWWW. Previously, the pattern had been to either come from behind to win or lose after conceding first. Against Hoffenheim and in the DFB-Pokal against Würzburger Kickers, Köln turned around 0-1 deficits. The 1-4 loss in Stuttgart followed an early concession.
Dallinga misses from the spot
Against Bremen, Köln got an early chance to take the lead for the first time. Referee Florian Exner pointed to the spot for a handball in the eighth minute. Dallinga stepped up and aimed low to the left. Werder goalkeeper Karl Hein saved it. It was already the Dutch forward's third missed penalty of this Bundesliga campaign. "Dallinga stepped up and aimed low to the left," the attacker said succinctly afterwards.
The response was immediate. Maina fired home from 17 metres to provide relief. The lead lasted until the 69th minute when Niclas Füllkrug equalised for the final score. The full lineup and all goalscorers from the match are available in our stats section.
Next task in the north
Despite sharing the points, the underlying mood remains positive. The team shows fight and finds goals even in difficult moments. Defender Timo Hübers was sidelined against Bremen due to injury. His return would be a further boost for the backline.
Attention now turns to the away fixture at Hamburger SV. The derby at the Volksparkstadion is scheduled for Saturday, 19 September. The full schedule with all kick-off times can be found on our fixtures page. A win there could further cement Köln's position in the upper third of the table.
This story first appeared at sports.yahoo.com
