Ivica Olic's (r.) return to Hamburg was overshadowed by a 2-0 win for 1. FC Köln
Ivica Olic's (r.) return to Hamburg was overshadowed by a 2-0 win for 1. FC Köln
Hamburg beaten by Köln; Mainz and Freiburg ease to victory
Cologne - 1. FC Köln continued their impressive away form with victory at Hamburger SV, while 1. FSV Mainz 05 and SC Freiburg both recorded big victories on the opening Saturday of the 2014/15 Rückrunde.
Hamburger SV 0-2 1. FC Köln
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A Marcel Risse brace earned Köln a 2-0 victory over a toothless Hamburg side at the Imtech Arena.
The hosts had the better of the chances in a goalless first half, but fell behind after 62 minutes when Risse found the far corner with a low finish. The 25-year-old then scored a virtual carbon copy of his first goal in the 78th minute to seal the Billy Goats’ fifth away league win of the season.
Risse at the double
Josef Zinnbauer’s side had scored only nine goals in their first seventeen league matches, but went close to taking the lead inside ten minutes when Timo Horn produced an outstanding save to palm Heiko Westermann’s header to safety. Ivica Olic, who completed his move to HSV from Wolfsburg on Friday afternoon, then guided a looping half-volley over the crossbar, before Jaroslav Drobny thwarted Köln marksman Anthony Ujah at the other end to send the teams in level at the break.
Drobny had to be at his best to deny Slawomir Peszko eight minutes into the second half, pulling off a smart save at the feet of the Polish midfielder as Köln started to up the tempo. Peter Stöger’s side took a deserved lead just after the hour mark when Risse broke free on the right-hand side before firing a low shot past Drobny from a tight angle. Risse repeated the trick with twelve minutes remaining, finding the net from a similar position to seal a priceless win for Köln and leave HSV with plenty to ponder ahead of the rest of the Rückrunde.
Line-ups and statistics
SC Freiburg 4-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Inspired by a second-half hat-trick from debutant Nils Petersen, Freiburg came from behind to beat Frankfurt 4-1 and record their third win of the season.
Marco Russ put the visitors ahead with two minutes on the clock, but the Eagles couldn’t capitalise on their first-half dominance. Introduced at half time, Petersen watched Vladimir Darida convert from the penalty spot in the 61st minute, before scoring a minute later with his first shot. The loanee headed home in the 69th minute, before completing a debut to remember in the dying stages.
The comeback kings
Freiburg coach Christian Streich uttered a rallying call to his side pre-match, but his words had seemingly fallen on deaf ears. No Freiburg player cleared Marc Stendera’s free kick, and Russ was waiting at the back post to fire home inside two minutes. Sensing blood, Thomas Schaaf’s Frankfurt dominated the opening period, coming close through Bundesliga top scorer Alex Meier in the 22nd minute and Stendera before the break, while Mike Frantz spurned the hosts’ only real chance in the 25th minute.
Mehmedi fired the first shot of the second period wide and it was clear Streich’s half-time words had had an effect. The introduction of Nils Petersen added more fluidity to their attack, and Darida made no mistake from the spot on the hour-mark after Christian Günter had been fouled. Within a minute, the game had turned completely on its head when Petersen side-footed past Trapp after a lightning-fast counter. The debutant’s second shot in Freiburg colours seven minutes later also beat Trapp, and the rampant hosts ensured the loanee completed his hat-trick with one final counter-attack a minute from time.
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1. FSV Mainz 05 5-0 SC Paderborn
Mainz 05 ran riot at the Coface Arena, picking up their first win in nine games courtesy of a 5-0 success over Paderborn.
The influential Yunus Malli opened the scoring in the sixth minute, and was next to get on the scoresheet moments after half-time. Pablo de Blasis’ wonderful finish ensured three points before Sami Allagui and Johannes Geis put the icing on a superb display.
Mainz run riot
Mainz had failed to win in the league since Matchday 8, but Malli’s low finish from de Blasis’ first Bundesliga assist put the Carnival Club a goal to the good after just six minutes. The goal deflated Paderborn, who gave the ball away with worrying regularity, and debutant Christian Clemens should have capitalised in the 27th minute. Thereafter, however, the visitors began retaining the ball and increasing the pressure on the Mainz goal. Loris Karius was called into action by Marvin Bakalorz, while Lukas Rupp’s 38th-minute shot struck the woodwork.
Mainz doubled their lead two minutes into the second half. Shinji Okazaki found himself on the halfway line, releasing Malli with a wonderful dinked pass. The number 11 made no mistake, poking past Lukas Kruse for his maiden Bundesliga brace to deflate Paderborn entirely. The visitors’ subsequent attempts were full of effort but harmless to Karius in the Mainz goal, and it was hardly a surprise when de Blasis, teed up by the irrepressible Malli, bent a wonderful curling right-footed shot past Kruse to make it 3-0. Thereafter, it was a procession, as Allagui poked home with 82 minutes on the clock before Geis’ late penalty completed the rout.
Line-ups and statistics
