bundesliga

Cologne comeback win denies Borussia Dortmund top spot

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Borussia Dortmund missed the chance to go top of the Bundesliga ahead of next week's Klassiker with Bayern Munich, after throwing away a 1-0 lead in a 3-2 loss to Cologne.

Cologne 3-2 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1
Brandt 31' (assist: Bellingham), 1-1 Kainz 53' (assist: Maina), 2-1 Tigges 56' (assist: Kainz), 3-1 Ljubicic 71' (assist: Huseinbasic), 2-3 Schmitz (o.g. 71')

Dortmund lost Marco Reus to injury in their Revierderby win over Schalke prior to the September international break, presenting Jude Bellingham with the chance to skipper the side at the tender age of 19. The England star's innate leadership skills to the fore, as BVB dominated for long spells before deservedly forging ahead just past the half-hour mark. Donyell Malen had already missed a couple of chances when Bellingham squared a pass into the feet of Julian Brandt to jink into the box and dispatch past Marwin Schwäbe. The Cologne goalkeeper pulled off quick-fire saves from Karim Adeyemi, and denied Malen, to prevent the Black-Yellows running away with it before the half-time whistle.

Hitting the reset button at the break, Cologne were level less than 10 minutes into the second half. Jonas Hector was the architect with a superb piece of skill to roll his marker and slide a pass into Linton Maina, whose cross from the left was tucked away by Florian Kainz in the six-yard box. The Billy Goats took the lead soon after as former Dortmund striker Steffen Tigges glanced in a Kainz corner, and were denied a third when Florian Dietz raced clear and struck the upright. Daylight arrived in the 71st minute, courtesy of a wonderful curling effort from Dejan Ljubicic, but a Benno Schmitz own goal - the Cologne defender turning in a Tom Rothe cross - gave BVB a lifeline. Ellyes Skhiri stung the palms of Alexander Meyer and substitute Youssoufa Moukoko sent a header over as a thrilling contest involving 40 goal attempts went the way of Cologne.

Match stats

  • Steffen Baumgart recorded his first win as a coach over Dortmund, at the sixth attempt.
  • According to Bundesliga Match Facts, Cologne had a 35 percent chance of winning the game after Brandt's opener.
  • Kainz has three goals and four assists in the Bundesliga this season.
  • Cologne have scored three own goals in as many games; Schmitz has two in two.
  • Bellingham captained Dortmund for the first time on his 101st appearance for the club in all competitions.
  • Brandt scored his second Bundesliga goal of the season.

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Watch: Jude Bellingham - 'Captaincy a dream come true, but...'

Teams

Cologne: Schwäbe - Schmitz (Martel 83'), Kilian, Hübers, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Ljubicic - Maina (Schindler 70'), Duda (Adamyan 61'), Kainz (Huseinbasic 70') - Tigges (Dietz 61')
Unused subs: Urbig, Pedersen, Soldo, Uth
Out: Andersson (knee), Chabot (ankle), Horn (muscular), Limnios (knee), Olesen (ankle)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart

Dortmund: Meyer - Meunier, Süle, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro (Rothe 77') - Bellingham (c), Özcan (Moukoko 70') - Adeyemi (Hazard 61'), Brandt, Malen (Can 77') - Modeste
Unused subs: Lotka, Passlack, Coulibaly, Papadopoulos
Out: Bynoe-Gittens (shoulder), Dahoud (shoulder), Kobel (muscular), Haller (testicular cancer), Morey (knee), Reyna (muscular), Reus (ankle)
Coach: Edin Terzic

Watch: Steffen Tigges - 'I'm not the matchwinner'