Home point salvaged in goal-rush

On the 21st match day of the season, 1. FC Köln played out a breathtaking 3-3 (1-2) draw with Hamburger SV. In front of a capacity crowd of 50,000 at the ‘RheinEnergieStadion’, Marcell Jansen (2’) and Mladen Petric (36’/50’) were on target for the guests whilst Youssef Mohamad (31’), Milivoje Novakovic (75’) and Adil Chihi (90’) got on the score-sheet for FC.

Nightmare start

Milivoje Novakovic and new signing Zoran Tosic were in the FC starting eleven on this occasion but saw their side get off to a nightmare start. With just two minutes played, Faryd Mondragon was already fishing the ball out of the back of his net. The keeper spilled a powerful shot by Mladen Petric, after FC had lost the ball cheaply on the left, and Marcell Jansen was perfectly placed to slot home the loose ball and put the visitors from Hamburg into a very early lead.

And the visitors could have quickly doubled their lead through Joris Mathijsen (6’) or Marcus Berg (7’) soon after but luckily FC hung on. The home side had chances of their own through Novakovic (9’) and Sebastian Freis (17’) before Mohamad, heading home from a Petit free-kick which was long in the air, finally levelled the scores - 1-1 (31’).

Unfortunately for the FC fateful, the joy of equalising lasted just five minutes. Jansen was involved again, picking up a free ball on the right wing and finding Petric, who kept a cool head and flicked his effort over Mondragon to make it 1-2 in favour of HSV going into the break.

Morale to the last

The second half began much as the first had – with a HSV goal. A cross from Aogo struck the hand of Pedro Geromel in the FC area and referee Michael Weiner awarded the visitors a penalty, which Petric rifled home to make it 1-3 (50’).

As the half progressed, Köln managed to increase the pressure on the visitors, who had goalkeeper Frank Rost to thank for maintaining their lead as he denied Kevin Pezonni (61’) and Novakovic (63’). But the HSV keeper could do nothing to stop a Novakovic free-kick from reducing the deficit to 2-3 (75’) - a goal which would initiate a phenomenal FC comeback!

It took until the ninetieth minute, but the FC fateful then had a further reason to celebrate. On the stroke of full-time, Chihi let a shot fly from distance, which deflected wickedly off David Rozehnal and subsequently nestled in the top corner of the HSV net - 3-3! The late goal was to secure FC’s seventh point in the last three games and set trainer Soldo’s men up confidently ahead of this Wednesday’s DFB Cup quarter final clash in Augsburg.


The game at a glance:

1. FC Köln: Mondragon - Brecko, Geromel, Mohamad, Wome - Petit, Pezzoni - Chihi, Tosic (90’ Schorch) - Novakovic, Freis (89’ Brosinski)

Hamburger SV: Rost - Demel, Rozehnal, Mathijsen, Aogo - Rincon, Jarolim - Elia (90’ Tesche), Jansen - Berg (80’ Trochowski), Petric (van Nistelrooy 89’)

Goals: 0-1 Jansen (2’), 1-1 Mohamad (31’), 1-2 Petric (36’), 1-3 Petric (50’ pen.), 2-3 Novakovic (75’), Chihi (89’)

Attendance: 50,000

Referee: Michael Weiner

Yellow cards: Chihi, Mohamad / Jarolim, Rincon