Advertisement
Perfect placement
© IMAGO/Fabian Kleer
90'
+ 6
Full-time: Cologne 1-0 Elversberg
Cologne celebrate another 1-0 victory, once again underlining their promotion ambitions. A goal from Dejan Ljubicic in the 81st minute decided the exciting duel between the Billygoats and Elversberg, allowing the hosts to temporarily reclaim the top spot in the Bundesliga table 2. For Cologne, it was their sixth clean sheet in the last nine matches.
Full-time
Cologne celebrate
© IMAGO/Fabian Kleer
90'
+ 4
Substitution
90'
+ 3
Second yellow for Baum
For a foul on Maina. The second foul in three minutes. Elversberg now down to ten men.
90'
+ 1
90'
Strong assertion
Maina dribbles strongly through the penalty area. However, his cross doesn't find its target.
90'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
88'
Extremely dangerous
A misplaced pass by Jan Thielmann at the halfway line initiates an Elversberg counter-attack. Luca Schnellbacher and Carlo Sickinger play a one-two in the penalty area, but are somehow prevented from taking a shot by three Cologne players.
87'
Substitution
87'
Substitution
86'
Fourth goal of the season for Ljubicic
Last season in the Bundesliga he didn't score at all, but now he has already netted his fourth goal of this campaign - his previous one was also incredibly important, securing a 1-0 victory away at Kaiserslautern on Matchday 17.
84'
Slid past
Another good chance. Downs breaks free on the left and passes low into the six-yard box. Lemperle slides in but can't reach the ball.
83'
Yellow card for Gerezgiher
For fouling Hübers on the touchline.
82'
Maina/Ljubicic duo
Linton Maina has set up a goal for Dejan Ljubicic for the third time this season.
81'
Ljubicic scores!
The Cologne goal anthem sounds again. And this time the goal stands. Attack down the left, after several passes the ball reaches Dejan Ljubicic. He takes aim precisely from the edge of the penalty area and curls the ball perfectly into the right corner to make it 1-0!
Goal probability
Goal probability
Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.
Shot speed
Shot speed
Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.
Distance to Goal
Distance to Goal
The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.
80'
Substitution
78'
Hopes pinned on Lemperle
Cologne's beacon of hope and top scorer is coming on - Lemperle has scored in each of his last three appearances.
77'
Cologne still goalless in 2025
In the first half of the season, the Billygoats were the only team that never failed to score - will they now fail to do so for the second time in their second match of 2025?
77'
First action
Barely on the pitch, Lemperle already gets his first header from a Paqarada cross - but the ball goes well wide of the goal.
76'
Lemperle comes on
The striker is back in action for the first time since Matchday 15.
76'
Substitution
75'
No goal for Maina
It would have been his first goal since September and after over 1,000 goalless minutes. Maina scored all three of his goals for the season in the first six matchdays.
75'
Substitution
74'
Cologne applying pressure
The hosts keep pushing and want to take the lead here. Elversberg can hardly get out of their own half, as one Cologne attack after another runs towards the visitors' goal.
73'
Miscontrolled
Cologne attack well down the left. Ljubicic passes into the centre to Downs. He takes the ball but lets it bounce too far from his foot and can't reach it again.
67'
The goal is disallowed
The referee disallows Maina's goal after consulting with the video assistant and reviewing the footage. Maina had fouled Pinckert in the build-up.
67'
SituationGoal
ReviewPrevious foul?
DecisionNo goal
66'
Maina breaks the deadlock!
Cologne take the lead. Linton Maina wins a sprint duel against Lukas Pinckert on the left, cuts inside from the byline and then curls the ball perfectly from a tight angle into the far corner to make it 1-0.
65'
Stopped
Paqarada delivers the free-kick cross from the left half-space. The ball reaches Maina - but his square pass is cleared.
61'
Offside Again
Another big chance for the visitors. A strong through ball puts Neubauer completely free on the left side of the penalty area, but he fails to beat the excellent Schwäbe. Moreover, the flag goes up as the Elversberg player was offside when the pass was made.
60'
Far too long
Cologne play nicely down the left side, with Maina eventually free to cross. However, the ball is sent far too long and no one can get on the end of it.
59'
Substitution
58'
Woodwork!
It rattles off the Cologne frame. There's a throw-in for Cologne in their own defensive third. The ball is immediately lost and two passes sets up Lukas Petkov on the edge of the penalty area. He shoots - and hits the right outside post. The hosts have been mighty lucky there.
54'
Missed chance
Elversberg counter-attacks very strongly. Neubauer is completely free on the left, shooting from a slightly acute angle - but it slips off his boot and goes wide.
53'
Kainz keeps his cool
The Cologne playmaker has managed to escape from 80 percent of his ten pressure situations.
53'
Pressure Handling
Pressure Handling
This Match Fact examines how successfully players perform under pressure. The percentage of "solved situations" indicates how often a player has freed himself from opponent pressure by dribbling, passing, scoring a goal or drawing a foul.
80%
%
Florian Kainz
10 times under pressure
51'
Offside
Elversberg celebrate - but the goal doesn't count. A through ball finds Lukas Petkov. He's initially blocked by the opponent but manages to play it into the middle, where Fisnik Asllani is lurking and slots it home. However, the flag goes up immediately, and VAR confirms: Petkov was marginally offside when the initial pass was made.
50'
Just wide
The first chance for FC after the break. Corner from the left by Paqarada - Martel comes running in the middle and heads from six yards out - but it goes wide of the post.
Kick-off!
Good performance
© IMAGO/Herbertz / Nico Herbertz
45'
+ 2
Strong visitors
The visitors have run over two kilometres more and have significantly more possession, proving to be the expected difficult opponents for Cologne. For now at least, they're the team with more attempts on goal (7-4 shots) - last week against Magdeburg, Elversberg also kept a clean sheet at half-time, but then conceded five goals.
45'
+ 2
Half-time: Cologne 0-0 Elversberg
Cologne and Elverberg go into the dressing rooms goalless. The visitors are the dominant team, having more possession and repeatedly creating dangerous situations in front of Cologne's goal. However, they haven't produced any clear-cut chances yet. The home side had a strong spell with a few good opportunities, but afterwards their counter-attacks consistently broke down.
Half-time
45'
+ 1
Asllani down
The striker appears to have twisted his ankle in the penalty area and is currently receiving treatment.
One-on-one with the keeper
© IMAGO/Fabian Kleer
42'
Tackling machine
Tackles won
13
8
Eric Martel Semih Şahin
41'
Gazibegović daring to shoot
Cologne's new signing on the right side has taken the most shots on goal of all players (three).
38'
Gazibegović again
Once again, a corner from the left is cleared forward to the centre and it lands at Gazibegović's feet. This time he tries a curling shot but Kristof manages to gather it.
36'
Long-range shot
Rohr tries from distance - well wide.
34'
Thunderbolt
After a corner, Paqarada manages to cross in with his left foot once again. Kristof punches the ball away, but it falls to Gazibegović who unleashes a shot from 25 metres out. It's an absolute thunderbolt. The ball whistles just wide of the left post.
33'
Elversberg are quicker
The visitors regain possession of the ball on average after 12.4 seconds. Cologne need 22.3 seconds for the same.
33'
Ball Recovery Time
Ball Recovery Time
Ball Recovery Time gives the time in seconds in which it takes a team to win back the ball following a loss of possession. It also allows conclusions to be drawn about a team's style of play. Only time when the ball is in play is counted (i.e. no breaks in play such as for goal-kicks, throw-ins etc).
30'
Yellow card for Asllani
For a foul on Heintz. It's his fifth, so he will have to sit out next week's match against Karlsruhe.
30'
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes
Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.
27'
Top speed
Linton Maina reaches 35.21 km/h during his sprint. That's a team season record! He surpasses Jonas Kurt Urbig (34.68 km/h).
27'
Side-netting
Cologne counter-attack, pitting three against four. But Ljubicic and Downs don't play it well. Eventually, the ball is deflected to the right into the penalty area, Kainz runs in and smashes it from a tight angle. Side netting.
26'
Full sprint
Linton Maina chases after a long ball - and easily outpaces Lukas Pinckert by about five metres. In the end, though, nothing comes of it.
24'
Elversberg improving
Possession (%)
3763
19'
Another big chance
A brilliant through ball into the path of Zimmerschied. He's clear through on goal, but Schwäbe comes out and Schmied somehow manages to intervene. That was close.
18'
Saved at the last moment
This time the corner sails into the six-yard box. Schwäbe comes out, wanting to punch the ball, but misses it. So the ball flies against an Elversberg player and from there towards the goal. Hübers manages to clear it just a matter of yards in front of the line.
16'
Well worked
Elversberg attack down the left. Neubauer runs down the touchline, then finds himself completely free on the left after a one-two and delivers a sharp, low cross into the six-yard box. Schmied manages to clear in the nick of time.
13'
No danger
This time the corner is delivered into the penalty area. Neubauer heads the ball from about 12 metres out, but only manages to hit Downs.
13'
Third corner for Elversberg
Köln haven't had one yet, but are otherwise much more dangerous.
Stopped
© IMAGO/Fabian Kleer
10'
Cologne applying pressure
Another action in the penalty area from Cologne immediately follows. Three players get a shot off, but the ball is blocked each time. Elversberg are currently having major problems in defence, as Cologne are applying real pressure.
9'
Downs again
The striker is sent into the penalty area on the left, shooting from a relatively tight angle. Kristof is there once again.
8'
Missed opportunity
Damion Downs squanders a golden chance! A long ball over from Heintz sends Downs clean through. He goes into the penalty area but is denied by Kristof. That was a real opportunity.
7'
Harmless
Elversberg attempt to execute a rehearsed corner routine. The ball is played to the near corner of the penalty area - but no one gets on the end of the subsequent pass into the box.
5'
First corner
Free kick for Elversberg from about 28 metres out. Muhammed Damar strikes it, but the ball hits the wall and goes out of play. Corner.
3'
First chance
Cologne play a long ball and two Elversberg players miss it in the centre circle, allowing Ljubicic to run alone towards goal, but he's forced slightly wide. He passes to Paqarada, before the ball somehow comes back to Ljubicic - and he shoots from 14 metres out in off the left. It flies just over the crossbar.
Kick-off!
Never again is always! 21st "Remembrance Day in German Football"
80 years ago, on 27 January 1945, the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp was liberated. German football has been commemorating this event for more than 20 years, remembering the people persecuted, deported and murdered by the Nazis on match days around 27 January.
Milestone for Hübers
The Köln captain is playing his 50th Bundesliga 2 match today (32 for Hannover, now his 18th for Cologne).
New face in Cologne's squad
Emin Kujovic, a 20-year-old midfielder from the club's youth academy, is included in the first-team squad for the first time today.
Three changes for SVE
The recovered Semih Şahin makes his first start since early October, replacing Frederik Schmahl, who is suspended after to a red card. Luca Schnellbacher and Florian Le Joncour move to the bench, while Lukas Pinckert (returning from a yellow card suspension) and Tom Zimmerschied are new in the team.
Cologne with Schmied and Kainz
Compared to the defeat in Hamburg, Cologne make two changes: Denis Huseinbašić and Luca Waldschmidt are not in the squad today, with Joël Schmied and Florian Kainz taking their places in the team. For winter signing Schmied, who arrived from Sion, it's his Bundesliga 2 debut.
© IMAGO/Fabian Kleer
Elversberg starting XI
Kristof - Baum, Pinckert, Rohr, Neubauer - Sickinger, Şahin - Petkov, Damar, Zimmerschied - Asllani
Cologne starting XI
Schwäbe - Hübers, Heintz, Schmied - Gazibegović, Ljubicic, Martel, Paqarada - Kainz - Downs, Maina
Horst Steffen on Cologne
"Köln have a squad with very good individual players. They have made adjustments throughout the season, bringing tactical flexibility and high intensity. They have recently secured several 1-0 victories and now have a better defensive structure - which we naturally want to break down. We want to show again that we can perform bravely as underdogs, as we have already managed to do in some previous matches."
Gerhard Struber on Elversberg
"Elversberg are a team who have shown in recent months that they are capable of surprises on any matchday in the league. By now, you can say they are very stable performers. They have a good game plan, they dare to combine with one another, and they act very courageously. They play expansive football and have individual players who complement each other well. Up front they have one or two strikers who bring goal threat and technical skills that are top-notch in the league."
Horst Steffen reliving the glory days
Elversberg coach Horst Steffen made his Bundesliga debut on 23 July 1988 in Cologne and immediately scored the first of his 16 Bundesliga goals in a 1-1 draw with Uerdingen.
Only the second encounter
The reverse fixture was the first time these sides have met in a competitive match, ending in a 2-2 draw after each side took it in turn to take the lead.
The times they are a-changing
Three years ago, these two clubs were separated by three leagues (Cologne were in the Bundesliga and Elversberg in the south-western Regionalliga). Now, it's just three points and the small Elversberg can overtake the giants of Cologne with a win.
Hello and welcome!
Welcome along and thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 19 fixture between 1. FC Köln and SV Elversberg.