myFirst match, first point, but above all first frustration: Timo Schultz had a rather disappointing start nine days into his start as coach of 1. FC Köln. FC only managed a 1-1 (1-0) draw against Bundesliga newcomer 1. FC Heidenheim in their first match of the year and, after the debut of Steffen Baumgart's successor, are still in the top flight. top of the ranking. FC finished the first half of the season with only eleven points, promoted Heidenheim is already ten points behind after four games without losing. David Selke had given Cologne the lead (29th), but Joker Adrian Beck tied it with his first goal in the Bundesliga (55th).
“It was a good first half for us,” Selke later told Sky. “Heidenheim played better in the second. We can still build on it. It's good that we were able to implement some things.” Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt said: “We didn't have quality with the ball in the first half, but after the change it was different. We deserved to tie. If we had played better counterattacks, maybe we could have done even more.”
Schultz, unlike Baumgart, who was on the line in his blue tracksuit and not just literally in his shirt sleeves, had not voluntarily made any changes to his team. Compared to the 0:2 in the last game with Baumgart against Union Berlin, there were only two changes. On the one hand, defense chief Jeff Chabot returned after a yellow-red suspension. On the other hand, the injured man had to Mark Uth be replaced, so captain Florian Kainz returned to the team. The latter caused the only tactical change, as instead of playing as a ten, Kainz moved to Selke as the second striker.
Colonia's nervousness is evident
The Cologne team started offensively and visibly ready. However, nervousness quickly became evident. In the 11th minute, goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe, Cologne's most consistent player in the first half of the season, shot at FCH forward Tim Kleindienst while trying to shoot, but the ball went beyond the goal. At first, the people of Heidenheim seemed surprisingly calm and stable. But little by little Cologne found security and showed a significant improvement in its attack compared to the first half of the season.
Denis Huseinbasic had the first big chance with his shot Heidenheim Goalkeeper Kevin Müller saved brilliantly (21'). And eight minutes later, there was more noise in the Cologne stadium than in months: Selke managed to reach Kainz's cross with his back to the goal, then finished it off the corner with a fortunate deflection into the goal. post and with a save from Patrick Mainka behind him Line.
The relief among Colonia fans, who on Friday tried to motivate the team with a fireworks show during the last training session, was palpable. The situation could have changed quickly if Schwäbe had not held up excellently against Heidenheim veteran Norman Theuerkauf in his 250th official match for FCH (35th).
After the change, the guests acted more offensively. Curious was the scene in the 51st minute, when Rasmus Carstensen shot the ball right at Kleindienst's feet during a rescue operation, but he was too surprised and shot from four meters. Four minutes later it happened when Beck, who had just been substituted at half-time, scored from 14 meters after a corner was blocked without rival pressure.
Schultz hired Justin Diehl, considered an exceptional talent and who was never part of Baumgart's team due to his refusal to renew his contract in the first half of the season. The 19-year-old put on some accents and was allowed to take corner kicks and free kicks. But first Heidenheim shot, Kleindienst headed wide (68'). In the end he threw Cologne Everything went forward again, but he had bad luck: a shot from Jan Thielmann escaped through Müller's arms but hit the inside post and this time did not enter the goal (80th).