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The events in stoppage time pursued Achim Beierlorzer almost motionless. Arms behind his back, he waited for the decision of the video referee after his player Dominick Drexler Hoffenheim had met Sargis Adamyan in the penalty area. As referee Robert Kampka gave the penalty and Jürgen Locadia had turned in the eighth minute of injury time to a 2-1 win for TSG, petrified the mimic of the Cologne coach completely.
Even while the FC players fished the ball out of their own goal, it was the Cologne stadium spokesman, who first found the words again. "98 minute - it sucks!", Michael Trippel shouted into the microphone, before dutifully announced the new score, which was tantamount to the eighth Cologne defeat in the eleventh season game.
The mood is in the basement
As tables 17. the Bundesliga went the 1. FC Cologne in the home game against TSG Hoffenheim. Despite the weak form started the team of coach Achim Beierlorzer (photo) well into the game.
In a balanced first half succeeded the Hoffenheim in the 20th minute of the first thrust. Goalkeeper Timo Horn was against Florian Grillitsch but on the spot (right).
At first the people from Cologne were allowed to cheer. Louis Schaub played from the right wing across to Jhon Córdoba, who used the place and finished with right. The ball was deflected slightly and hit the left corner (34th minute).
With his second ball contact, Sargis Adamyan justified the decision of his coach Alfred Schreuder to call him at half-time: After a cross from Sebastian Rudy the Armenians scored the equalizer for Hoffenheim.
It was an unsightly game. More fight than game.
In the second round, the guests were oppressively superior. Jürgen Locadia's shot in the 61st minute gave the Cologne crowd a sigh of relief as the ball missed the goal by inches.
In injury time followed the most threatening sight in modern football. Referee Robert Kampka checked a possible foul play by Dominick Drexler on Adamyan's monitor.
Kampka decided on penalties. The Cologne protests did not change that either.
Locadia came in and hit the bottom left corner (90th + 8th). Although Horn chose the same direction for his dive, but no longer reached the ball.
Hoffenheim cheered, Cologne was on the ground. "It sucks," said stadium announcer Michael Trippel at the announcement of the hit in his microphone.
A few minutes after the final whistle, the club announced the immediate separation of managing director Armin Veh. Soon also Beierlorzer (photo) could leave Cologne.
Cologne is on the penultimate place in the table with seven points from eleven games - and theoretically can still be overtaken by the SC Paderborn. After the international break, it continues in the Bundesliga at RB Leipzig.
Beierlorzer said his team had a good game in the interview with "Dazn" after the final whistle, but complained about the referee team's penalty decision. "It's a bit bitter, what happens with us right now," said the 51-year-old and called it "curious" when the video evidence is used and when not.
Beierlorzers future in Cologne unclear
In fact, FC had been denied a legitimate handball penalty two weeks ago in Mainz because referee Frank Willenborg had decided despite the signal of the video umpire to continue play. But even if Willenborg would have given the Cologne the opportunity to equalize, Beierlorzers balance sheet looks like since taking office at the beginning of the season lean.
Only two victories reach the FC since returning to the Bundesliga, against Freiburg and bottom of the table Paderborn. In addition to the draw on Schalke Cologne under coach Beierlorzer lost every league match, is on the penultimate place in the table. In the Cup, the team flew in the second round against Regionalligist Saarbrücken from the competition.
"Whether I can stay, I can not influence," Beierlozer said after the game. In terms of coach confidence, the FC have been difficult to predict in the recent past: in the relegation season of 2017/2018, Peter Stöger was dismissed after the 14th round with three points, albeit after a draw at third-placed Schalke. Successor Stefan Ruthenbeck built this meager result only by a meager 19 points, but was allowed to stay until the end of the season.
After the descent, new coach Markus Anfang was again in the 2nd Bundesliga with five points ahead of the second - in three games - in first place. However, Cologne's Managing Director Sport Armin Veh made a "negative trend" after four straight games in a row and dismissed the beginning. About Beierlorzers future, that is fixed since the defeat against Hoffenheim, he will no longer have a say.
Separation of Veh was longer
That Veh would leave was already certain. Eight days ago, the 58-year-old had announced that he would not renew his summer contract expiring. After the final whistle, it took just five minutes for the club to announce the separation from its CEO - with immediate effect. The dissolution of the contract was "amicable" according to the statement, but the statements of the parties said something different.
"We could have imagined a long-term cooperation with Armin Veh very well," said club president Werner Wolf, "because his prudent and competent nature have done the FC very well." Veh had succeeded Jörg Schmadtke at the end of 2019 and had gone up and down with Cologne.
The #effzeh board and Armin Veh have decided unanimously and independently of the outcome of the game against Hoffenheim to dissolve Vehs until the end of the season ongoing contract as CEO with immediate effect. More information https://t.co/4te8hsunxV
- 1. FC Cologne (@fckoeln) November 8, 2019Veh's opinion sounded a bit sober given the emotional months he had experienced at FC. He wished the club "only the best", he was grateful to all employees, he had met a "highly committed, competent and loyal team". In his time at 1. FC Köln he had "a lot of positive experiences" - to end the cooperation in the short term, but in his view, "consistent".
It remains to be seen if the FC will travel to the away match in Leipzig on November 23rd with a completely new sporting lead. In between is still the international break - for counted coaches traditionally a particularly worrying time.