Honours even between Hamburg and Köln
Hamburger SV and 1. FC Köln shared the spoils at the Volksparkstadion with Simon Zoller and Nicolai Müller supplying the goals in a 1-1 draw.
Hamburger SV 1-1 1. FC Köln
Goals: 1-0 Zoller (41'), 1-1 Müller (47')
Despite having less possession than their hosts, Köln did more with the ball and created a host of good chances. Anthony Modeste sliced a volley wide of the target before Filip Mladenovic flashed another effort wide. That was a trend which continued throughout the first half and Köln eventually took advantage. A mistake by Johan Djourou was ruthlessly punished as Jonas Hector teed up Simon Zoller who poked the ball past Rene Adler to register his fifth goal of the season.
Hamburg had to change something, and their coach Bruno Labbadia did just that with Artjoms Rudnevs coming on for Pierre-Michel Lasogga. His first intervention just after half-time was telling as he set up Nicolai Müller to smash an equaliser into the top left-hand corner. After that, Köln had the better opportunities to snatch a winner in a frantic second half. But Rene Adler came to Hamburg's rescue with fine saves from Mladenovic and Marcel Risse.
Man of the match
It all seemed something of a lost cause for Hamburg at half-time, but Rudnevs had other ideas. Within two minutes of coming on, he had set up Müller for an equaliser. There was a spring in the Latvian's step and HSV looked more likely to score with him on the field.
Talking point
Possession is not everything in football, as Hamburg discovered. They had 67 per cent at times, but Köln's surgical precision meant they took the lead and had more shots on goal. Efficiency was the key to Köln coming away with a deserved point.
Match stats
- After his mistake led to Simon Zoller's opening goal, Johan Djourou saw his fifth yellow card of the season meaning he is suspended for the clash with Borussia Mönchengladbach.Köln have never lost whenever Zoller has scored (four wins, two draws); he netted his sixth goal for the club.Müller's goal was his first at home for Hamburg since September 2014.
Line-ups
Hamburg: Adler – Sakai, Djourou (c), Spahic, Ostrzolek – Kacar (67' Jung), Holtby - Müller, Hunt, Drmic (85' Schipplock) – Lasogga (46' Rudnevs)
Köln: Horn – Maroh, Mavraj, Heintz – Risse, Mladenovic - Hector (c), Gerhardt – Zoller, Bittencourt - Modeste
