- In the western clash, Cologne secures victory over Schalke.
The 1. FC Köln triumphantly emerged victorious in the esteemed derby match in the 2nd tier of German football, the Bundesliga, against FC Schalke 04. In the packed Schalke Arena with an attendance of 61,475 fans, the Cologne team secured a 3-1 (2-0) victory, elevating their position to 6th in the standings. Damion Downs (25th minute), Linton Maina (45+1), and Tim Lemperle (46th) scored for the away team, while Kenan Karaman (66th, penalty) found the back of the net for Schalke.
The home team, who hadn't defeated Cologne on their home turf in 13 years, had their chances in the heated game against the Cologne squad, which was missing its ailing captain Timo Hübers. Regrettably, Tobias Mohr and Karaman squandered promising scoring opportunities and almost conceded on the counter-attack.
Younes adds some push
Following a 3-0 deficit, captain Karaman managed to score a mere consolation penalty. Substitute Amin Younes injected some energy into Schalke's offensive play, but a draw was still an unattainable goal. After losing their initial game against Hamburger SV, Köln has now gone four games undefeated.
This was the first time the FC traveled to a second-division match in Gelsenkirchen. Prior to this, the two initial Bundesliga founding members had clashed 98 times in the first league and the DFB-Pokal.
Despite the home advantage and missing captain Timo Hübers, Germany's 1. FC Köln continued their impressive form, securing a win against historic rivals Schalke 04 in Germany. The victory marks the first time Köln has won at the Schalke Arena in over a decade.
