Status: 13.01.2024, 17:45 PM
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Cologne's Steffen Tigges reacts during the game. © Marius Becker/dpa
In his first game against 1. FC Heidenheim, the new Cologne coach Timo Schultz was under pressure to win. But in the 1-1 draw against the newly promoted team, only one point remained despite good approaches.
Cologne - First game, first point, but above all first frustration: Timo Schultz experienced a rather disappointing start nine days after his arrival as coach of 1. In the first game of the year, FC only managed a 1-1 draw (1-1) against Bundesliga newcomers 0. FC Heidenheim and are still deep in the bottom of the table after the debut of Steffen Baumgart's successor. FC finished the first half of the season with just eleven points, while newly promoted Heidenheim are already ten points away after four games without defeat. Davie Selke had given Cologne the lead (29th), but Adrian Beck equalised with his first Bundesliga goal (55th).
Schultz, in contrast to the not only proverbial shirt-sleeved Baumgart standing on the line in a blue tracksuit, had voluntarily not changed his team at all. There were only two changes from the 0-2 defeat at Union Berlin in Baumgart's last game. On the one hand, defensive boss Jeff Chabot returned after a yellow-red suspension. On the other hand, the injured Mark Uth had to be replaced, for which captain Florian Kainz came back into the team. The latter provided the only tactical change, because instead of playing on the ten, Kainz moved to Selke's side as a second striker.
Cologne started offensively and visibly willing. However, the nervousness was quickly apparent. This was the case in the 11th minute, when goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe - Cologne's most consistent player in the first half of the season - shot at FCH striker Tim Kleindienst while trying to tee off, but the ball missed the goal. At first, the people of Heidenheim seemed surprisingly serene and settled. But little by little, Cologne found confidence and showed a clear improvement in their forward play compared to the first half of the season.
The first big chance fell to Denis Huseinbasic, whose shot was brilliantly fished out of the angle by Heidenheim keeper Kevin Müller (21'). And eight minutes later, the Cologne stadium became louder than it had been for months: A cross from Kainz was able to reach Selke with his back to goal, then he scored from the turn somewhat luckily deflected over the inside of the post and with a save from Patrick Mainka behind the line.
The relief among the Cologne fans, who had motivated the team with a pyro show at the final training session on Friday, was palpable. It could have turned quickly if Schwäbe hadn't made an outstanding save against Heidenheim's veteran Norman Theuerkauf in his 250th competitive game for FCH (35').
After the change, the guests did more for the offense. The scene in the 51st minute was curious, when Rasmus Carstensen shot the ball exactly into the feet of Kleindienst during a rescue operation, but he was too surprised and shot four meters over. Four minutes later, it happened when Beck, who had only come on at half-time, scored from 14 yards out after a blocked corner without pressure from the opponent.
Schultz brought in Justin Diehl, who was considered an exceptional talent, who had never been part of the squad under Baumgart in the first half of the season because of his refusal to extend. The 19-year-old made his mark, taking corners and free-kicks. But first Heidenheim had the upper hand, Kleindienst headed narrowly wide (68'). In the end, Cologne threw everything forward again, but were unlucky when a shot by Jan Thielmann slipped through Müller's arms, but clapped against the inside of the post - and from there this time not into the goal (80th). Dpa