Florian Kainz had a goal and an assist as Cologne put any lingering concerns about relegation to bed by securing an impressive away win at struggling Hoffenheim.

Hoffenheim 1-3 Cologne
Goals: 0-1 Kainz pen. 18’, 0-2 Selke 39’ (assist: Kainz), 0-3 Thielmann 90'+2, 1-3 Dolberg 90'+4

Hoffenheim started the day in 14th, but having drawn at Bayern Munich and won three in a row before that, Pellegrino Matarazzo would have been confident his team could pull further clear of the relegation zone. Cologne were on a solid run too, though, 11th in the table and looking to put six points between the sides. The visitors started stronger and got a stroke of luck when a shot from Linton Maina struck the hand of Hoffenheim defender John Brooks. A penalty was awarded after a VAR review, and Kainz calmly stroked it down the middle. Davie Selke almost made it 2-0 on 32 minutes, but Oliver Baumann reacted well to push his header over. There was nothing the Hoffenheim keeper could do seven minutes later, however, when a brilliant inswinging cross from Kainz was nodded in by Selke.

With his team trailing by two goals at the break, Matarazzo sent on Munas Dabbur to try to turn the tide. The change had the desired effect, with the home side looking much more dangerous after the restart. Angelino stung the palms of Cologne keeper Marvin Schwäbe on 48 minutes, and two minutes later Ihlas Bebou blazed over at the end of a promising break. Eric Martel then made a great block to deny Andrej Kramaric from close range before Christoph Baumgartner fired narrowly wide from the edge of the area. The goal never came for Hoffenheim, though, and Cologne easily kept the hosts at bay until they got a third in injury time. Kingsley Schindler was denied by Baumann, but fellow substitute Jan Thielmann fired the rebound home from a tight angle with the help of a deflection off Brooks. Substitute Kasper Dolberg finally replied for Hoffenheim, but Cologne still picked up their third away win of the season.

Match stats

• Kainz now has six goals and seven assists in the 2022/23 Bundesliga season. His most recent league strike had come in the 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim the last time the two sides met in October.
• Winter signing Selke got his second goal for Cologne since joining from Hertha Berlin.
• The Billy Goats have now gone four games unbeaten (W2, D2).
• Hoffenheim had been unbeaten in their past 13 meetings with Cologne - their longest-ever run without defeat against a Bundesliga opponent.
• Matarazzo's team had won their previous five home matches against the visitors - scoring 21 goals and conceding only one.
• Danish striker Dolberg got his first goal for Hoffenheim since joining on loan from French side Nice in January.

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Teams

Hoffenheim: Baumann (c) - Vogt, Brooks, Akpoguma (Skov 67') - Kaderabek, Geiger (Rudy 73'), Angelino (Dolberg 80') - Kramaric, Becker (Dabbur 46') - Bebou, Baumgartner (Bischof 73')
Unused subs: Philipp, Bicakcic, Kabak, Stiller
Out: Bruun Larsen (groin), Che (groin), Prömel (ankle)
Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo

Cologne: Schwäbe - Schmitz (Kilian 89'), Hübers, Chabot, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Martel - Ljubicic (Thielmann 62'), Kainz (Schindler 80'), Maina (Huseinbasic 80') - Selke (Tigges 62')
Unused subs: Horn, Pedersen, Olesen, Adamyan
Out: Andersson (knee), Dietz (cruciate ligament), Uth (pelvis)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart

About the clubs

TSG Hoffenheim

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1. FC Köln

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