Cologne defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 in the Rhine derby and inflicted a fifth consecutive defeat on their opponents since the start of the Bundesliga season. Said El Mala (left) scored the winning goal in the 67th minute.
The hosts took the lead through Isaac Johannesson, but Joe Scally equalized for Borussia Mönchengladbach late in the first half. El Mala advanced from the left and with a shot from about 20 meters into the far corner brought Cologne success.
Fifth loss for Borussia Mönchengladbach
The match was the first for new Borussia Mönchengladbach coach Alexander Blesin, who replaced Eugen Polanski during the international break. Before the derby, the team had conceded 16 goals in their first four games.
After the defeat, Borussia Mönchengladbach remains the only team in the German top flight without a point. Cologne has seven points more than its rival and is in the middle of the standings.
Short interruption due to pyrotechnics
During the match, fans threw fireworks and flares towards the pitch and stands. This led to a brief delay in the second half, but there were no incidents.
Borussia Dortmund was at the top of the standings with 13 points after a 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen. Bayern Munich had 11 points after a 2-2 draw with Augsburg, and Freiburg could have gone top with a win against Schalke 04 in the late match of the round.
Sources: bta.bg