Cologne come from two goals down to stun Eintracht Frankfurt and climb out of the relegation zone
Cologne won their second game in a row in the Bundesliga after a stunning comeback from two goals down at Eintracht Frankfurt to lift the Billy Goats out of the relegation zone.
Eintracht Frankfurt 2-4 Cologne
Goals: 1-0 Hinteregger (6'), 2-0 Paciencia (30'), 2-1 Hector (44'), 2-2 Bornauw (72'), 2-3 Drexler (81'), 2-4 Jakobs (90+4')
Frankfurt wanted to end a memorable 2019 at the Commerzbank-Arena with victory and got off on the right track immediately. Having headed a chance wide of goal after just two minutes, Martin Hinteregger controlled the ball from a Filip Kostic corner before lashing it past Timo Horn for his sixth goal of the season. Cologne have struggled for goals all season and couldn't find the right touch in the Frankfurt third of the pitch. The home side were flowing, though, and doubled their lead on the half-hour mark from another Kostic corner, this time headed home by Goncalo Paciencia. Midfield enforced Sebastian Rode had to be substituted after taking a knock but the Eagles continued to fly forward. Dominik Kohr forced a save from Horn with a half-volley from the edge of the away side's box. But the Billy Goats never gave up and Jonas Hector handed them hope before the break after his shot from range deflected off Almamy Toure and through Felix Wiedwald in the Frankfurt goal. Hector then had a header go narrowly wide minutes later with the away side disappointed to hear the half-time whistle blow.
Cologne started the second half as they ended the first with Dominik Drexler going close with a strike from the edge of the box. With 20 minutes to play it was still Markus Gisdol's side in the ascendancy and it was almost Hinteregger who gave them an equaliser after Wiedwald's punch off the line from a corner hit the Austrian defender and dribbled just past the post. Moments later, though, and Cologne had their deserved equaliser. Florian Kainz's cross from the right was met by Sebastiaan Bornauw with a sweet volley which he clipped into the far bottom corner. Daichi Kamada came within inches of putting Frankfurt in the lead just minutes later, but Horn made a fantastic save to deny the Japanese international. The game was going Cologne's way and they completing their incredible comeback with less than 10 minutes to play, Drexler slotting home at the back post of the Frankfurt box. Ismail Jakobs then sealed the stunning win with a fantastic finish in injury time with his first Bundesliga goal.
Match stats
- Cologne recorded their first win in five visits to Frankfurt.
- The Billy Goats have now won two games on the bounce. It's the first time they have won consecutive games this season.
- Eagles winger Filip Kostic played under visiting head coach Markus Gisdol at Hamburg between autumn 2016 and early 2018.
- Paciencia has 10 goals in all competitions this season, including seven in the league. The Portugal international netted for the first time since a 5-1 win over defending champions Bayern Munich on Matchday 10.
- Billy Goats captain Hector scored his first-ever Bundesliga goal against Frankfurt, in a 3-2 defeat back in October 2014.
- USMNT wing-back Timothy Chandler made his 200th Bundesliga appearance.
Watch: Jakobs: "A goosebumps moment"
Line-ups
Frankfurt: Wiedwald - Toure, Hasebe (c), Hinteregger - Chandler, Kohr (Silva 84'), Rode (Sow 33'), Kostic - Kamada - Dost, Paciencia (N'Dicka 62')
Unused subs: Zimmermann, Falette, Fernandes, Gacinovic, da Costa, Durm
Out: Abraham (suspended), de Guzman (match fitness), Rönnow (thigh), Russ (Achilles tendon), Torro (thigh), Trapp (shoulder)
Coach: Adi Hütter
Cologne: Horn - Schmitz, Bornauw, Czichos, Katterbach - Skhiri, Hector (c) - Thielmann (Kainz 62'), Drexler (Terodde 90'), Jakobs - Cordoba (Modeste 90+2')
Unused subs: Krahl, Höger, Verstraete, Schindler, Schaub, Mere
Out: Bader (muscular), Clemens (knee), Ehizibue (suspended), Kessler (knock), Risse (thigh), Sobiech (muscular)
Coach: Markus Gisdol
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