Elvis Rexhbecaj's second-half effort was enough for Cologne to claim just a second Bundesliga win of the season as they beat hosts Mainz 1-0, despite Ondrej Duda's late red card for the visitors.

Mainz 0-1 Cologne
Goal: 0-1 Rexhbecaj (55')
Red card: Duda (75')

With both teams looking to turn the corner with just their second respective victories of the season, the early exchanges served up open, free-flowing football in stark contrast to their lowly pre-match positions in the Bundesliga table. The intent also belied the fact that these two were the joint-third lowest scorers in the league going into Matchday 11. And, true to recent form, when Cologne thought they were ahead through Jan Thielmann’s superbly taken finish 17 minutes in, their celebrations were quickly dashed by the raised offside flag on the far side. For the hosts, Jean-Philippe Mateta’s stabbed effort from six yards narrowly arrowed over Timo Horn’s crossbar shortly before half time and despite the endeavour of both parties, they remained goalless at the break.

Mainz began the aggressors at the start of the second period but it was the away team that broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half. Rexhbecaj superbly controlled and then lashed home a volley from Duda's cutback to put his side in front. From there, Marcus Gisdol's men continued to carve out the best opportunities and substitute Anthony Modeste should have done better at the back post with 15 minutes to play but couldn't sort his feet out in order to make it 2-0. That spurned chance looked as though it may prove costly for the Billy Goats as Duda saw red for a second bookable offence just a minute later. Mainz substitute Robin Quaison almost capitalised for the home team but twice couldn't convert, neither could Jean-Philippe Mateta from goalkeeper Robin Zentner's - in attack for a 94th-minute corner - flick-on just yards out in the dying moments as Cologne clung on for a much-needed win.

Match stats

• Mainz have now gone six home games without a Bundesliga win (D2, L4).
• This was only the second time Mainz have lost at home to Cologne in the Bundesliga.
• Only Schalke (six) and Arminia Bielefeld (eight) have scored fewer goals than Mainz (12) this term.
• Cologne ended a club record 20 games without a clean sheet by shutting out Mainz.
• Rexhbecaj's goal was his second as a Cologne player.
• The Billy Goats are now four games unbeaten on their travels in the league (W2, D2) and have won each of their last two away matches.

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Line-ups

Mainz: Zentner - St. Juste, Hack (Abbas 77'), Niakhate - Burkardt (Kunde 76'), Fernandes, Latza (c) (Stöger 68'), Brosinski - Onisiwo, Boetius (Quaison 68') - Mateta
Unused subs: Dahmen, Martin, Ji, Kilian, Barreiro
Out: Mwene (ankle), Öztunali (thigh), Szalai (knee)
Coach: Jan-Moritz Lichte

Cologne: T. Horn (c) - Cestic, Bornauw, J. Horn - Skhiri - Wolf, Özcan (Schmitz 90+5'), Rexhbecaj (Drexler 82'), Jakobs (Katterbach 82') - Thielmann (Modeste 60'), Duda
Unused subs: Zieler, Andersson, Limnios, Ehizibue, Mere
Out: Czichos (groin), Ehizibue (not included), Hector (neck), Kainz (knee)
Coach: Markus Gisdol

About the clubs

1. FSV Mainz 05

MEWA ARENA

1. FC Köln

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