Highlights
D. Aytekin
90'
+ 1
COLOGNE WIN THE RELEGATION PLAY-OFF
Cologne retain their place in the Bundesliga for next season. They blew Bundesliga 2 side Kiel away, and run out deserved 5-1 winners - 5-2 on aggregate. Friedhelm Funkel is drenched in beer. The decision to bring him in on a short-term deal in place of Markus Gisdol paid off. The Billy Goats will party long into the night. As for Kiel, it's a second promotion play-off defeat in the space of three years.
End of second half
Full-time
90'
JAKOBS DENIED
Ismail Jakobs has the pace to beat his man on the outside, but not the precision to steer his shot beyond Gelios. The Kiel keeper deserves credit, despite shipping five goals.
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.
84'
GAME, SET AND BUNDESLIGA SURVIVAL
It's too easy for Cologne again. Thielmann pulls away down the left and knows exactly where to find Ellyes Skhiri, who races onto the ball and fires into the bottom corner from 14 yards. Jubilant scenes in the away dugout. Job very much done.
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.
80'
KIEL CHANGE
Kiel youth player Noah Awuku is on for the remainder. It's the 21-year-old winger's third pro outing for the club. Reese, who has been kept pretty quiet, makes way.
80'
Substitution
79'
GELI-BOSS!
Cologne substitute Dominick Drexler is played in on goal with only Ioannis Gelios to beat, but the Kiel stopper spreads himself really well to make the block. The partisan home crowd liked that a LOT!
77'
ANDERSSON THE DIFFERENCE-MAKER
Sebastian Andersson makes way to a chorus of Kiel boos. The Swede scored twice in the first half, and might have had a hat-trick. Cologne might not have been in this position, had he not had such rotten luck with injuries during the regular season. The former Union Berlin striker scored three times in 16 Bundesliga games.
76'
Substitution
72'
THIELMANN ON
More pace for Kiel to contend with as 19-year-old Jan Thielmann replaces the industrious Marius Wolf. Fatigue appears to have caught up with the Bundesliga 2 club - this is their 11th game in the space of just over a month following a covid-interrupted end to their campaign.
72'
Substitution
64'
BETTER FROM KIEL
Lee finds himself in an advanced position, on the edge of the Cologne area. He switches the ball to his left for Mees, who drifts a cross-shot wide of Horn's far post.
64'
FRESH LEGS
Mikkel Kirkeskov replaces Marco Momenda in the Kiel defence, while Max Meyer is on for potentially his final appearance as a Cologne player. The Crystal Palace loanee takes the place of Ondrej Duda.
63'
Substitution
63'
Substitution
61'
GELIOS!
Another huge save from Gelios keeps Kiel in the game. He throws up a strong palm to deny Andersson his hat-trick following a sweeping move.
© imago
54'
ALMOST A FIFTH
Gelios gets down well to keep out Duda from point-blank range, and beats away Wolf's follow-up attempt. The ensuing corner is half cleared and then returned into the six-yard box with interest. Andersson either doesn't expect it or thinks he's offside - his first-time effort trickles wide. What an opportunity!
51'
HALF CHANCE
A ball is played long for big Benjamin Girth, but his first-time header from 14 yards loops harmlessly off target. Facing goal, on the move and receiving the pass from deep - that's a difficult skill to execute.
47'
FRESH LEGS
Jorge Mere's on for Cologne defender Sebastiaan Bornauw, who was on a booking. Ismail Jakobs also joins the fray in place of left-back Jannes Horn. Kiel's Werner throws on an extra midfielder in Joshua Mees for left-back Simon Lorenz, while Benjamin Girth replaces Finn Porath in attack.
46'
ALL OR NOTHING
We had The Hives and Black Eyed Peas blaring out around the Holstein-Stadion at the break. Is it enough to rouse the Kiel troops, with a place in the Bundesliga on the line...?
Kick-off!
45'
+ 3
Substitution
45'
+ 3
Substitution
45'
+ 3
Substitution
45'
+ 3
Substitution
45'
+ 3
COLOGNE IN CHARGE
An unbelievable first half draws to a close in Kiel. Cologne raced into a 3-1 lead, before adding a fourth to make it 4-2 on aggregate and leave hosts Kiel needing three unanswered second-half goals to reach the Bundesliga.
Half-time
40'
COLOGNE EXTEND LEAD
It's a long way back for Kiel now. They don't clear their lines and when the ball drops to Rafael Czichos on the edge of the D, he spins an unstoppable rising strike into the top corner. What a turnaround after that 1-0 defeat in the first leg!
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.
36'
FOUR COLOGNE SHOTS, THREE GOALS
Goal attempts
4off target
2on target
1off target
3on target
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.
29'
ALL FIRED UP
Bornauw gets a good jeering after going into the back of Porath. The Kiel fans make their thoughts heard, but the ensuing free-kick leaves a lot to be desired. Still, Kiel are enjoying a pretty decent spell after that mad-cap opening.
24'
SETTLED
After four goals in the opening 13 minutes, we've gone 11 without one. The tempo has slowed, but this is still anyone's game.
20'
ATMOSPHERE
There are roughly 2,350 Kiel fans in attendance today. They're making a right racket, living and breathing every kick. It feels good to hear the stadium drum beat again! Can the fabled 12th man spark a Kiel fight-back?
19'
PERMUTATIONS
Cologne are steering a course for top-flight survival as things stand. Kiel need to score twice without reply, if they're to go up at Cologne's expense...
13'
ANDERSSON AT THE DOUBLE!
What a start from Cologne! It's another Kainz ball in from the left, and another headed goal for Andersson. Gelios got a touch, but neither he nor Reese on the goal-line could keep it out. Kiel coach Ole Werner must be furious with the defending on show.
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.
12'
NO EXTRA TIME
Cologne's two away goals mean the contest will be decided inside 90 minutes. A second-leg draw will suffice for Kiel, but the Billy Goats have to win, remember...
9'
WARNING SHOT
Warm applause greets a run and shot from Mühling, who fires comfortably wide from 20 yards. He had players around him, but didn't show any interest in releasing the ball.
8'
COLOGNE LEAD!
What is going on?! It's another long left-wing punt into the home box - this time from Kainz. Andersson steals a march on his man, and heads Cologne ahead in the second leg and on away goals in the tie.
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.
5'
GOAL MANIA!
What a start in Kiel! Jonas Hector sends a superb header into the far corner from Duda's cross to level the tie. Kiel go up the other end as Porath tests Horn, before Lee heads in the follow-up. Kiel lead 2-1 on aggregate!
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.
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.
Kick-off!
ADVANTAGE KIEL
© DFL
SEASON SO FAR
Kiel were on course for automatic promotion, before back-to-back defeats to end the campaign bumped them down to third in Bundesliga 2. Cologne, meanwhile, ground out a final-day win over relegated Schalke to climb out of the bottom two and into the play-off spot, at the expense of Werder Bremen.
WHO ARE KIEL?
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. They are bidding to become the 57th different team of the Bundesliga era.
STAT ATTACK
Kiel are the first Bundesliga 2 side to win a relegation play-off match in nine years, ending a winless run of 17 games for the lower-tier outfits. However, 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.
MORE ON THAT KIEL TEAM
The big news in the Kiel camp is the absence star striker Janni Serra. He's suffering with a muscular complaints, so the onus shifts to hometown boy Fabian Reese. First-choice central midfield pairing Jonas Meffert and Alexander Mühling return following suspension, but left-back Johannes van den Bergh misses out after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season last time out. Super sub Simon Lorenz is his replacement.
MORE ON THAT COLOGNE TEAM
Leading marksman Ondrej Duda was deployed as a false nine last time out, but reverts to his preferred attacking midfield role to accommodate out-and-out striker Sebastian Andersson. Kingsley Ehizibue and Jannes Horn are recalled in the full-back positions, while Florian Kainz comes into the midfield.
KIEL STARTING LINE-UP
Gelios - Neumann, Wahl (c), Komenda, Lorenz - Meffert, Mühling - Bartels, Lee, Porath - Reese
KIEL SUBS
Dähne, Reimann, Kirkesov, Dehm, Ignjovski, Mees, Sterner, Awuku, Girth
COLOGNE STARTING LINE-UP
T. Horn - Ehizibue, Bornauw, Czichos, J. Horn - Skhiri, Hector (c) - Wolf, Duda, Kainz - Andersson
COLOGNE SUBS
Zieler, Schmitz, Jakobs, Mere, Höger, Meyer Özcan, Drexler, Thielmann
WELCOME!
It's win or bust for Bundesliga club Cologne in Kiel. After losing the home leg of the promotion/ relegation play-off 1-0, the Billy Goats have to win to have any chance of preserving their top-flight status. Anything else, and Kiel will be promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history. Hold on tight, folks!