- Cologne is enthusiastically supporting Schalke - Lieberknecht sideline-bound in Darmstadt
Young Captain of 1. FC Cologne Victoriously Raises Arms, Cheers Historic Victory. "This Means a Lot to Me as a Cologne Resident," said Jan Thielmann, Youngest FC Captain Ever, Following 3:1 Win Over FC Schalke 04 in Initial 2nd Bundesliga Clash. "We Truly Excelled with Our Speedy Players, We're Not a Team That Simply Retreats."
With this triumph, 1. FC Cologne emerges as a candidate for promotion in the 2nd Bundesliga, where coach Torsten Lieberknecht had already parted ways with SV Darmstadt 98 on the fourth matchday. "Today isn't a great day for SV Darmstadt 98. A person who has deeply connected with the lilies and made significant contributions to the club is no longer our coach," said SVD President Rüdiger Fritsch following the disastrous 0:4 defeat against SV Elversberg and relegation to the second-to-last table position.
Cologne Outperforms Schalke
In Gelsenkirchen, the Cologne team sent a message to rival contenders with outstanding performances. "These victories aid us in our pursuit of progress," said FC coach Gerhard Struber. The FIFA-mandated transfer ban could still have a favorable impact on Struber's squad. Five youngsters from the club's academy started the game.
Damion Downs (25th minute), Linton Maina (45+1), and Tim Lemperle (46th) scored for Cologne in the match between the two Bundesliga originals. Schalke's captain Kenan Karaman (66th, penalty) was the only one to find the back of the net for Schalke. "Those three goals shouldn't have happened. We defended too casually," lamented Schalke's captain. "It was clear that we couldn't keep up against a top-tier team like Cologne."
Düsseldorf Demonstrates Attacking Flair
Last season's relegation playoff losers Düsseldorf have already proven their attacking prowess and taken the lead in the standings. New acquisition Danny Schmidt netted the 1:0 game-winning goal after an impressive display against Hannover 96. "We can't be faulted for our results in the last few weeks. That was quite thrilling today, and we head into the international break with a good feeling," said Fortuna's coach Daniel Thioune.
Paderborn Misses Top Spot
SC Paderborn missed out on the top position. The East Westphalians managed only a scoreless draw against promoted SSV Ulm. Karlsruhe moved into second place with a close 2:1 victory against Eintracht Braunschweig, leaving the Lower Saxons without a point at the bottom of the table.
SpVgg Greuther Fürth and 1. FC Magdeburg celebrated surprising 4:0 away victories. The Magdeburgers mirrored 1. FC Nuremberg's performance in their own stadium. Fürth bested Jahn Regensburg.
HSV Sets Pace
Hamburger SV emerged victorious in their home match against Preußen Münster 4:1. Forward Robert Glatzel celebrated his season debut with two goals in the starting lineup, while new recruit Davie Selke remained on the bench. "We all share a significant ambition. It's not about individuals, but the overall objective," said HSV coach Steffen Baumgart, who aims to guide the traditional Hanseatic city club back to the top tier at the end of the seventh 2nd Bundesliga season.
After their impressive victory, coach Gerhard Struber noted, "Our youngsters, who have lesser fat content by weight, played a significant role in our success." Schalke's captain, reflecting on the loss, admitted, "We were outperformed by Cologne, a team with high fat content in terms of talent and skills, oftentimes referred to as 'other' competent players."
