Fire-Cracker Funkel's Return Lights Up Cologne: Last-Minute Goal Pushes Cologne to the Brink of Bundesliga Promotion
Last-Minute Cheer for Cologne: Goalkeeper's Blunder Gifts Victory
FacebookTwitterWhatsappE-MailDruckenLink kopierenMit Rückkehrer Friedhelm Funkel, Cologne FC is on the cusp of making an electrifying return to the Bundesliga. In the penultimate second league game day, Effzeh gave Nuremberg FC a run for their money, while Preußen Münster made a bold statement in their battle against relegation, challenging Hertha BSC.
1. FC Nuremberg - 1. FC Cologne 1:2 (0:0)
Fresh off his appointment as Cologne FC's new head coach, Friedhelm Funkel orchestrated a thrilling comeback with a last-minute 2-1 (0:0) victory against 1. FC Nuremberg. With the FC poised to secure promotion in the final game of the season, Funkel's meteoric rise continues.
Nuremberg took the lead through Janis Antiste (46.) but Cologne fought back relentlessly. Florian Kainz (67') leveled the score, and Michal Kukucka's blunder (90') between the sticks for Nuremberg gifted Kainz his second goal of the game and what turned out to be the game-winner for Cologne.
Cologne temporarily reclaimed the top spot, but Hamburger SV is hot on their heels and can officially clinch promotion on Saturday.
Funkel stepped into the limelight as the replacement for Gerhard Struber on Monday. Despite leading Cologne to second place, the FC struggled to impress in terms of performance prior to Funkel's arrival. Christian Keller also departed due to disagreements with the board over Struber's dismissal. Despite the turbulence, Funkel's calm and relaxed approach seemed to invigorate the team and bring back the joy of playing that had been lost recently.
Cologne kicked things off with gusto. The first structured attack resulted in a questionable penalty call that was overturned after a video review. Despite the setback, Cologne remained determined, with Eric Martel (6') and Tim Lemperle (10') narrowly missing opportunities, and Jan Thielmann striking both the post (19') and the crossbar (36').
However, Cologne made some errors in their defense and fell behind in the second half after Antiste scored with a powerful shot, with Timo Hübers misjudging the cross for Cologne. The FC reacted swiftly, seeking an equalizer. Initially, they struggled to find gaps in Nuremberg's defense. After an hour, Funkel introduced Linton Maina to add pace to Cologne's offensive front, and Kainz eventually put the FC back on level terms before scoring the winner late in the game.
Preußen Münster - Hertha BSC 2:0 (1:0)
Preußen Münster secured a crucial win in the fight for survival, besting Hertha BSC 2:0 (1:0). With 35 points, Münster is temporarily off the relegation spot, even dreaming of securing their league future before the final game.
Jorrit Hendrix (30./70') bagged a spectacular goal with a composed scissor kick, while Hertha's Linus Gechter (77') was sent off with a red card for a reckless challenge. Münster can potentially cement their Bundesliga status one game early (15:30 CET/Sky and live ticker on ntv.de) against SSV Ulm (17th/29 points) in the 34th matchday on May 15.
Münster's management team change at the end of April, from Sascha Hildmann to team manager Christian Pander and coach Kieran Schulze-Marmeling, has paid off in the critical phase of the relegation battle. Last week, Münster stunned promotion hopefuls 1. FC Magdeburg with a convincing 5:0 win. Overall, Münster has gone three games unbeaten.
Against Hertha, who had already guaranteed their Bundesliga survival for the following season, Münster was the dominant force in the first half. Captain Marc Lorenz (16') missed narrowly wide, before Hendrix scored a stunning scissor-kick goal, leaving Hertha goalkeeper Dennis Smarsch bewildered.
Even after the break, Hertha struggled to create chances, while the hosts continued to press. A close call for Münster came when Niko Koulis (51') headed a free-kick cross just over the goal. The Hertha keeper showed questionable form, allowing a header from Hendrix (70') to slip through his fingers and into the net. Hertha fought back late, with substitute Michal Karbownik (74') hitting the crossbar with a powerful shot.
Sources: ntv.de, tsi/sid
- 1.FC Köln
- Football
- 2. Bundesliga
- 1.FC Nürnberg
- Hertha BSC
- SC Preußen Münster
- The community of Cologne has rallying behind their new coach, Friedhelm Funkel, as his impressive return spearheads the club's potential promotion to the Bundesliga.
- In the battle for relegation, Preussen Muennster showed tenacity and grit, securing a 2-0 victory over Hertha BSC, with coach Kieran Schulze-Marmeling's tactics proving pivotal.
- Tim Lemperle and Eric Martel nearly found the back of the net early on for Cologne, as the team displayed an aggressive and attacking approach under their new coach.
- While celebrating their victory against Nuremberg, Cologne fans have started to engage more on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, and others to share their excitement about the team's success.
