Cologne's minimalists lose touch with the midfield

When 1. FC Köln plays, a few goals decide the outcome of the match. It was no different in the Bundesliga match in Breisgau. After a yellow card for Chabot, Freiburg took advantage of their superior numbers and Cologne crumbled. For the Effzeh, it's a matter of survival at Union on Wednesday.

Freiburg's goal producer Michael Gregoritsch has dealt 1. FC Köln the next setback in their fight against relegation. Coach Steffen Baumgart's team lost 2-0 (0-0) at SC on Sunday and are still waiting for their third win of the season. The Rhinelanders are now 16th in the table ahead of Wednesday's end-of-season clash with fellow strugglers 1. FC Union Berlin.

SC head coach Christian Streich's team, who were clearly superior in the end, recorded their third win in a row in the Bundesliga in front of 34,700 spectators in the sold-out stadium - and for the third time in a row Gregoritsch played a decisive role, this time scoring as a joker in the 72nd minute. Roland Sallai made everything clear (90.+5).

While Freiburg have now been unbeaten for four games and are only two points behind Borussia Dortmund, Cologne weakened in many phases of a very mediocre match. Baumgart's players are by far the weakest in attack with just ten goals after 15 matchdays. The visitors also lost Jeff Chabot to a yellow card after just over an hour.

It's also raining chocolate thalers in Freiburg

The Ultra fans at Europa Park Stadium were also silent for the first twelve minutes in protest against the entry of investors into the German Football League. Shouts and whistles could be heard from Baumgart's fingers right up to the stands. Referee Harm Osmers then interrupted the match for five minutes: As a further sign of protest, a veritable rain of chocolate thalers poured down on the pitch from the SC supporters' block. The gold-colored pieces even had to be collected in buckets by the stewards before play could continue.

Baumgart's Cologne side were somehow put off by all of this, and in any case did not play as briskly forward as they had at the start. Freiburg captain Vicenzo Grifo got a shot away from the edge of the box and narrowly missed (33') - otherwise both teams were often hesitant before the break.

Podolski worries about the Effzeh

Streich had surprisingly dropped Gregoritsch, scorer of the winning goals in the recent 1-0 victories in Mainz and Wolfsburg, to the bench. After the Europa League defeat at West Ham United and ahead of the draw for the intermediate round this Monday, Freiburg dictated proceedings as the match progressed. In addition, the defense around veteran Matthias Ginter and 22-year-old talent Jordy Makengo on the left was largely secure.

The decimation of the opponents due to the red card for Chabot, who straddled Lucas Höler, and the introduction of strikers Gregoritsch and Roland Sallai helped the SC to gain more momentum. Gregoritsch benefited from the fact that the FC defenders had left their keeper Marvin Schwäbe pretty much alone at 1:0.

At the other end, Davie Selke and his attacking colleagues were hardly noticeable in the second half. The current sporting situation in Cologne is difficult, club legend Lukas Podolski had already said earlier on TV channel Sport1: "FC now have two difficult away games, if they lose twice, things will look bleak."