The first win under Timo Schultz, the first Bundesliga success since the beginning of December, the first home three-pointer since winning the derby: the relief at 1. FC Cologne was as great as the joy after the 2-0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt. Just in time for Carnival, the “billy goats” are back in the fight to stay in the league.
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Long before the final whistle, the fans of 1. FC Köln celebrated their team in the usual Cologne style. “We are the world champions from the Rhing” – we are the world champions from the Rhine, that was what resounded through the once again sold out RheinEnergieStadion in the west of the cathedral city. It’s not quite that far yet after the extremely important 2-0 home win against Eintracht Frankfurt, but the “billy goats” are back in the relegation battle with their first success since the beginning of December. Just in time for Carnival, which enters its hot phase from Thursday, you might say. In any case, nine days before Shrove Monday, the mood was good in the Jecken stronghold.
Match report: FC with exclamation mark against Frankfurt
Despite the convincing performance of his protégés, who were able to celebrate with their own fans for the first time since the derby win against Borussia Mönchengladbach in mid-October, only one person was not yet in full Cologne celebration mode: “I know that I won’t make any friends with that, but I’m not here to celebrate carnival,” emphasized Timo Schultz in a Nordic-cool manner after the game, which Eintracht loanee Faride Alidou (68th) and Jan Thielmann (80th) had decided for the hosts: “At the moment I’m still under “Adrenaline. When I calm down, I’ll be happy. I’m happy about the success for the city, for the whole club,” the East Frisian native also knew about the importance of the three points.
“Only three points”: Schultz remains calm
Because: The competition in the relegation battle from Darmstadt and Mainz had to accept defeats, the Cologne home win therefore consolidated the relegation position of the “Billy Billy Goats”, who were able to catch up with 1. FC Union Berlin even with a corresponding result on Sunday afternoon. And the cathedral townspeople were able to thank someone who is actually under contract with Eintracht. SGE loanee Alidou not only took the lead, but also got a yellow-red card against Frankfurt’s Niels Nkounkou (66′) a few moments before the 1-0 lead. “That was the key moment,” Schultz was also sure. After Thielmann’s goal, the Cologne team confidently got the game over with a double majority (yellow-red against Tuta, 83′).
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The relief at the final whistle was still great at FC – on and off the pitch. Visibly relaxed, the players celebrated with the fans afterwards and even took a photo as a souvenir of the possible liberation from the relegation battle. “It’s only three points. But we know that we have the fans behind us,” said Schultz, emphasizing the audience’s support after his first win as FC coach. Even before the important game on Saturday evening, the new Cologne coach had spoken positively about the support of his own supporters: “If one thing can be said, it is that this mood of doom that is being reported around is definitely not there among the fans. On the contrary: It’s more of a solidarity between the fans, the club and, above all, the team,” said Schultz.
FC wants to take part in the carnival at TSG Hoffenheim
This solidarity – it was also noticeable against Frankfurt, when the “billy goats” were finally able to reward themselves for another committed performance. The second home win of the season, the second time ever that more than one goal was scored in a game: all of this caused a high spirits in the carnival stronghold. Of course, this was also due to the fact that Eintracht Frankfurt has now become one of Cologne’s favorite opponents. The FC has been unbeaten in six duels against the Hessians, there have been three home wins and three away draws (always alternating). The “Billy Billy Goats” were last defeated at home by the SGE in September 2017, and since then there have been two draws and three wins in five games. “Today everything worked the way we imagined,” said a visibly happy match winner Alidou.
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In the coming week, things should work for FC the way they imagined: On Carnival Sunday, the Cologne team will travel to TSG Hoffenheim – and want to ensure that the Jecken’s spirits are still there on Rose Monday. But the game date on Cologne’s biggest holidays doesn’t really suit the “billy goats”: In the past 15 years, the people of Cologne have only had two Bundesliga successes at Carnival – in February 2009, the Cologne team surprisingly won 2-1 at FC Bayern , in 2020 FC celebrated a 5-0 win at Hertha BSC. This is also why Cologne’s captain Florian Kainz called for the next step out of the crisis: “The victory is good for all of us. But we have to keep at it now,” said the Austrian, setting out the route.
Thielmann: “Luckily we were able to give something back today”
Goalscorer Thielmann also saw it this way: “The victory should give us a boost for the next few weeks. We can be happy tonight – and then we will prepare for the game in Hoffenheim,” emphasized the crowd favorite, who praised his goal and the important three points dedicated to the fans: “They are always there for us, support us even in the difficult times. Fortunately, today we were able to give something back,” emphasized the Cologne native, who moved from Eintracht Trier to the cathedral city at the age of 15. And by the way: Nobody should take the carnival hustle and bustle in the stands too seriously. “Mir sin die Weltmeister vum Rhing” continues in standard German as follows: “We can’t always win. But we’re good at that” – but it would be an advantage for the cheerful mood around FC if the “billy goats” were to treat themselves to further victories.
Faride Alidou scores to give Cologne the lead against Frankfurt – IMAGO/Anke Waelischmiller/Sven Simon
2024-02-04 23:37:42
#Kölle #alaaf #Köln #relegation #battle
