Highlights
F. Zwayer
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End of second half
Full-time
90'
+ 1
ADDED TIME!
We're now into three minutes of time added on at the end of this crucial first leg.
90'
CZICHOS BOOKED
A rash foul from the centre-back on Lee as the frustration continues to build for Cologne.
86'
INTO THE FINAL FIVE MINUTES...
Cologne got a late winner against Schalke on Saturday, but now the Billy Goats need a late leveller in this first leg.
84'
DUDA GOES CLOSE!
A free-kick right on the edge of the Kiekl area is fired at goal by Duda, even after he slips as he shoots. It's cleared off the line by Neumann and Andersson can't fire home the rebound with Neumann making a crucial second block.
78'
DOUBLE CHANGE
Fresh legs on for Kiel to sure up things for the final 10 minutes with Mees and Girth on.
78'
Substitution
78'
Substitution
77'
SERRA HITS THE BAR!
Wow, what a huge chance to double the lead for Cologne. Reese does superbly down the left flank and is afforded too much time to pick a cross. Serra meets it ahead of Czichos with a fantastic header but it bounces back out off the upright.
75'
KIEL DOING WELL
The away side aren't only defending well, they're pushing on looking for more here as we enter the final 15 minutes. It's frustrating for the hosts who are struggling to break down the Kiel backline when they do get forward.
72'
NEED-TO-KNOW RULES!
In the case of a tie at the end of the two legs in the relegation play-off, the away goals rule is used to determine the victor, meaning that goals scored on the road count double. In each of the last two play-offs, the away goals rule has determined the winner of the tie. How crucial will Kiel's goal prove to be?
LEAP LIKE LORENZ!
© Lars Baron/Getty Images
67'
NEXT KIEL CHANGE
Former Schalke winger Fabian Reese comes on for Porath with just over 20 minutes to play.
67'
Substitution
66'
DOUBLE CHANGE
Funkel wasting no time in freshening up his attack as Andersson and Thielmann come on here.
66'
Substitution
66'
Substitution
65'
SKHIRI FORCES A SAVE!
A big chance for Skhiri as he's on the end of Drexler's cut-back from the left, but his toe-poked finish is straight at Gelios for a simple save in the end.
64'
KIEL SHOW COLOGNE HOW IT'S DONE
63'
KIEL SHOWING CONFIDENCE
That goal has changed everything in this game, as Cologne's pressing has eased, Kiel are now looking confident on the ball. Still, they're giving up possession a little too easily with long balls forward.
59'
THE SUPER-SUB OPENS THE SCORING!
INCREDIBLE! It may only have been 15 seconds after Simon Lorenz came on that he heads his side in front. A corner swings deep into the Cologne area and Lee wins it at the back post. It loops in front of goal and Lorenz leaps high above Hector to meet it and power a header home past Horn. Kiel take a huge, huge lead!
59'
Substitution
HOSTS ON THE FRONT FOOT!
© Lars Baron/Getty Images
55'
BIG CHANCE!
Wolf's shot is blocked on the edge of the Cologne area and comes to Drexler in space to the left. He fires a shot across goal with Hector and Skhiri looking to poke it home, but neither can and the offside flag is raised against them in the end.
53'
WOLF BOOKED
A sixth card of the game is shown here with Wolf the next booked for the home side.
51'
SKHIRI BOOKED
A high boot from the midfielder as he looks to meet a cross with a no-look shot, and he's booked by referee Felix Zwayer.
49'
COLOGNE ON THE BALL
The hosts have begun the first half on the front foot in terms of possession, but Kiel are still defending well - as is to be expected from the Bundesliga 2's best defence.
46'
VAN DEN BERGH BOOKED
An early yellow card for the Kiel defender for a handball. That's his fifth of the season and he'll miss the return leg.
46'
BACK UNDERWAY!
A half-time change for Cologne as birthday boy Drexler comes on against his former club, replacing Katterbach. That will see Jakobs drop to left-back.
Kick-off!
45'
+ 4
Substitution
Half-time
45'
+ 3
DUDA GOES CLOSE!
That's the closest we've come to a goal so far as Duda battles past Lee on the edge of the Kiel area and fires a shot at goal. It bounces beyond Gelios, but just inches wide of the far post across goal.
45'
+ 1
ADDED TIME!
We'll have four minutes of time added on at the end of the first half here.
45'
IGNJOVSKI BOOKED
A second Kiel yellow card, this time for a foul on Duda just near the byline to the right of the Cologne goal.
43'
SERRA ON TARGET
A first effort which forces a save from Horn in the Cologne goal, as Serra rises high to reach a cross to the back post from the left flank. He can't get the power behind his effort to cause any problems for Cologne's No.1.
41'
BARTELS BOOKED
The former Bremen forward is cautioned for a late foul on Katterbach on the near side.
40'
CORNERS BUILDING UP
37'
LOOKING TO BUILD FROM THE BACK
Kiel have looked good on the ball in their own defence, but the trouble for them has come in finding Bartels and Serra in attack. Skhiri is sitting deep and cleaning up any passes sent forward so far. It's been difficult for Kiel to play through this Cologne side.
COLOGNE BUILDING PRESSURE
© Lars Baron/Getty Images
34'
WOLF FIRES WIDE
The winger does well to beat van den Bergh on the run towards the Kiel goal. He goes for a shot from the edge of the area despite having numbers in support and drags his effort wide across goal.
31'
HECTOR NOT FAR OFF!
A mistake in the back from Komenda sees Cologne's high-press win the ball back in a dangerous area and Hector pushes on towards goal at an angle at the near post. He gets a shot away, but it's blocked behind for another corner.
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'
NOT COMFORTABLE FROM CORNERS
The away side have had to defend three corners already here, and haven't looked comfortable in doing so. This latest one sees Skhiri concede a foul in an aerial battle, but it could prove to be a way for Cologne to break through.
23'
COLOGNE WINNING THE BATTLES
20'
EVEN START
Both sides have had half-chances but we've yet to see either goalkeeper tested in the opening 20 minutes here. Kiel have had a touch more of the possession, but neither side has been able to take any real control so far.
19'
NEXT CHANCE!
Bartels sends a long ball forward into the Cologne area and Schmitz doesn't deal with it, with his header falling in front of goal for Hauptmann to control and shoot. His effort is blocked, though.
14'
KATTERBACH BOOKED!
Cologne's left-back is shown an early yellow card as he brings down Neumann.
EARLY BATTLES
© Lars Baron/Getty Images
12'
FIRST CHANCE!
Bartels is played in down the right and crosses the ball into the middle before reaching the byline. It comes to Porath at the back post, who cuts back inside onto his favoured right foot before curling for the far top corner, but his shot drifts just wide.
8'
INTENSE START
We had a few minutes break there, but the intensity of this game is clear to see in the opening minutes. Kiel are looking to keep possession and are pressing the Cologne defence when they have the ball. The hosts have been going long so far, looking down the right with most of their attacking play.
6'
WOLF BACK UP
A lengthy break in play there as Wolf got treatment on his nose. He's back up and will look to continue here.
3'
WOLF DOWN
A knock to the head for Wolf in the opening minutes here from his own man, in fact, as Bornauw clipped him as that corner came in. Some blood coming from his nose and he's taking treatment now.
2'
FIRST CHANCE!
Cologne break forward down the right at it's Duda who plays the ball across intended for Hector. It's just a touch heavy for him, but he recovers and gets a shot away looking back across goal. It's deflected behind for the first corner of the game.
1'
HERE WE GO!
The ball is rolling in Cologne with the sunshine out at the RheinEnergieStadion.
Kick-off!
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM KIEL
The North German side had the best defence in the Bundesliga 2 this last season, and the fifth-best attacking in terms of goals scored. One point of notice for fans who have not seen them in action is that only two teams in the second division attempted more crosses than Kiel all of last season.
0:06
WATCH: GETTING CLOSER TO KICK-OFF!
TALE OF THE TAPE
Cologne have won two and drawn two of the four previous meetings between these sides. The first two came in the 1952/53 German championship, with the most recent encounters in the 2018/19 Bundesliga 2 campaign. Inaugural winners of the Bundesliga and three-time champions, Cologne are looking to avoid dropping out of the top flight for the seventh time - all in the last 25 years.
FUNKEL'S PLAY-OFF HISTORY
Cologne coach Funkel has previously contested the play-off in charge of Bochum. On that occasion, in 2010/11, he was seeking promotion but lost 2-1 over two legs to Borussia Mönchengladbach. He has also previously been relegated with Cologne in 2001/02.
0:07
WATCH: TIME TO GET WARM!
SERRA THE MAN IN FORM
Kiel's top-scorer Serra has netted six of his 15 goals this season in his past eight games. No Cologne player has more than seven over 2020/21.
CAN KIEL PROVIDE AN UPSET?
Since the play-off was re-introduced to the Bundesliga in 2008/09, only three Bundesliga 2 sides have earned promotion, with the top-flight side prevailing on nine occasions. The Champions of Germany in 1912, Kiel are yet to play in the Bundesliga but featured in the 2017/18 play-off, when they lost 4-1 on aggregate to Wolfsburg.
COLOGNE TEAM NEWS
With Sebastian Andersson only fit for the bench Ondrej Duda - Cologne's top-scorer this season with seven, equal with Elvis Rexhbecaj - is leading the attack alone. Captain Jonas Hector has been an inspiration in a more advanced midfield role, and he lines up there again as coach Friedhelm Funkel looks to complete a great escape.
KIEL TEAM NEWS
Alexander Mühling and Jonas Meffert are missing through suspension for Kiel, who start with Fin Bartels and Janni Serra in attack. Fabian Reese - former Schalke winger - is waiting on the bench.
0:08
WATCH: WILL BORNAUW BE THE HERO AGAIN?
COLOGNE STARTING XI!
T. Horn (c) - Schmitz, Bornauw, Czichos, Katterbach - Skhiri - Wolf, Özcan, Hector (c), Jakobs - Duda
COLOGNE SUBS
Zieler, Ehizibue, Mere, Höger, Kainz, Meyer, Drexler, Thielmann, Andersson
KIEL STARTING XI!
Gelios - Neumann, Wahl (c), Komenda, Van den Bergh - Porath, Ignjovski, Hauptmann - Lee - Bartels, Serra
KIEL SUBS
Dähne, Kirkeskov, Lorenz, Dehm, Mees, Sterner, Reese, Awuku, Girth
LINE-UPS COMING UP!
We'll have the official team news from both sides very shortly, so keep your eyes peeled before we head to the RheinEnergieStadion for the first leg of this mouth-watering tie.
2:03
WATCH: COLOGNE SAVE THEMSELVES ON THE FINAL DAY
RELEGATION PLAY-OFF TIME!
It's that time of year again where the final place in the 2021/22 Bundesliga season will be decided as the 16th-placed Bundesliga team take on the third-placed Bundesliga 2 team across two legs.