Borussia drew 3-3 with 1. FC Köln as the 98th Rhine Derby in the Bundesliga ended in a goalfest. The Foals turned the game around after through Franck Honorat and a brace from Robin Hack twice falling behind, but then conceded an equaliser around ten minutes from time.
In front of 54,042 spectators at a sold-out BORUSSIA-PARK, the visitors from Köln took the lead with their first effort of the game. Faride Alidou caught Mo Nicolas unawares with an effort at his near post in the 7th minute. Florian Neuhaus and Nathan Ngoumou both spurned chances to respond immediately in the 9th, but the Foals began to take control of the game bit by bit afterwards. Franck Honorat then deservedly levelled in the 32nd minute.
The second period began with a brilliant team move from Borussia, which led to Neuhaus hitting the post in the 53rd minute. Köln hit back though nine minutes later, as Alidou coolly headed Kainz’s ball in from a free kick into the net. Borussia then threw everything at it, and promptly turned the derby around through substitute Robin Hack, who scored with his first two touches of the ball in the 71st and 73rd minutes. The visitors though did not give up and made it 3-3 in the 79th minute through another substitute in Damion Downs.
TEAM NEWS
Head coach Gerardo Seoane made two changes to his starting eleven from the 1-1 draw at 1. FSV Mainz 05 last time out. Luca Netz and Joe Scally came in for Ko Itakura and Stefan Lainer, and, alongside Nico Elvedi and Max Wöber, made up the back four in front of goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas. Julian Weigl, Manu Koné and Florian Neuhaus started in midfield. Nathan Ngoumou and Franck Honorat were the wingers, with Jordan again leading the line.
Alassane Plea (bruised foot) and Tomáš Čvančara (ankle ligament tear) were once more unavailable due to injury.
FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS
7’: Köln take the lead. Alidou beats Netz in the penalty area and catches Nicolas unawares at his near post to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
9’: So nearly the equaliser! Honorat cuts it back to Neuhaus on the edge of the penalty area, and he hits it first time. Schwäbe is there and touches the ball onto the post, before Ngoumou puts the follow-up into the side netting.
32’: The Foals are level! Elvedi reacts well to cut out a Köln pass forward and finds Neuhaus. He then plays it into the path of the advancing Honorat, who is through on goal and keeps his cool to beat Schwäbe for 1-1.
SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS
53’: Off the woodwork! And what a move! Ngoumou finds Neuhaus, who plays a perfect one-two with Jordan before hitting the right post.
64’: Köln make it 2-1. Kainz plays a free kick from the right towards the far post. Alidou climbs highest and nods it into the bottom corner.
71’: Hack makes it 2-2! Lainer crosses the ball into the box from the right, where Hack, who’s only just come onto the field, breaks free of his marker and heads it into the bottom left corner.
73’: Borussia turn the game around! The ball lands at the feet of Hack following a corner, and he also scores with his second touch of the ball, hammering it into the net for 3-2.
79’: Köln equalise. Huseinbasic plays it through to Downs, who buries it in the far corner and it’s 3-3.
90+4’: Hack has another chance just before the end, but his chip goes just over the bar.
STATISTICS
Borussia: Nicolas – Scally, Elvedi, Wöber (Itakura 72’), Netz (Lainer 62’) – Weigl – Koné (Reitz 70’), Neuhaus – Honorat, Jordan, Ngoumou (Hack 70’) // Unused substitutes: Olschowsky, Friedrich, Herrmann, Kramer, Ranos
Köln: Schwäbe – Carstensen, Hübers, Chabot, Finkgräfe – Martel, Huseinbasic – Alidou (Downs 75’), Kainz (Selke 75’), Maina (Paqarada 65’) – Adamyan (Tigges 87’) // Unused substitutes: Pentke, Schmitz, Heintz, Kilian, Christensen
Goals: 0-1 Alidou (7’), 1-1 Honorat (32’), 1-2 Alidou (64’), 2-2 Hack (71’), 3-2 Hack (73’), 3-3 Downs (79’)
Yellow cards: Jordan, Neuhaus, Weigl – Finkgräfe, Chabot, Hübers, Martel
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Berlin)
