1. FC Cologne narrowly avoided a bad start on the second matchday of the second division. The renewed injury of a top striker is particularly painful for the Rhinelanders.
Drama surrounding Mark Uth! In the second division match between SV Elversberg and 1. FC Köln, the FC striker had to be substituted due to injury just a few minutes after coming on.
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The 32-year-old sat down on the pitch in the 70th minute without any opponents touching him. Last season, Uth repeatedly struggled with knee problems.
Cologne narrowly avoids a complete false start
Relegated Cologne just managed to avoid a terrible false start on the second matchday. A week after the opening defeat against Hamburg, the favorites salvaged a 2:2 (1:0) draw late in Elversberg and picked up their first point under new coach Gerhard Struber.
After a strong first half including a lead by Denis Huseinbasic (21st), the Rhinelanders collapsed in the second half, Timo Hübers (84th) secured the draw.
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With one point after two games, Cologne is a little behind schedule early in the season. Elversberg’s coach Horst Steffen showed a golden touch on Saturday, bringing on goal scorers Fisnik Asllani (46th) and Frederik Schmahl (62nd) at half-time. The Saarlanders have made a decent start to the season with two points.
Rhinelanders initially find their way into the game well
The Rhinelanders started off with a lot of momentum in front of 9,502 spectators. Damion Downs (5th) and Linton Maina (15th) missed good opportunities before Huseinbasic sank the ball flat into the corner from the edge of the penalty area after a pass from Tim Lemperle. As a result, the deep-lying Elversberg team at least got more control defensively, but almost nothing worked in the few moments of transition in the game going forward. Instead, Timo Hübers and Lemperle missed a double chance (40th).
Steffen woke up his team with two substitutions at half-time, and Asllani struck after 37 seconds following a through pass from Robin Fellhauer. An open exchange of blows developed with chances on both sides.
Downs shot at Kristof alone in front of the goal (58th minute), before Schmahl, who had also been substituted on, pushed a cross from Asllani over the line. After Cologne’s substitute Mark Uth had to leave the field just a few minutes after coming on, Hübers scored from a corner to make it 2-2.
With Sports Information Service (SID)
